Shepherds after God's Own Heart

 I was fortunate to grow up in church. My parents made sure to find a good church in our neighborhood soon after we moved into our house in Decatur. We went to Sunday School and worship most Sundays. We sat as a family, and I listened to Pastor Arwood faithfully proclaim the Word of God week after week. He was a very good shepherd for our church. He stuck to the Bible and cared for each of us. I believe he is the kind of shepherd Jeremiah had in mind. (Jeremiah 3:15) God promised Judah to give them shepherds after His own heart. He would make sure they fed them on knowledge and understanding. That is what all of us need, as God's sheep.

It was almost 50 years ago that God called me to preach and to be a pastor or shepherd. I was 17 years old. I went to Pastor Arwood to let him know what had happened. The church licensed me to the ministry, and he helped me decide to go to Baylor. It has been 45 years now since Smith Bend Baptist Church called me to be their shepherd. I did not know much, but I knew I wanted to be faithful to the Lord to preach His Word and to feed the flock. That has been my main goal ever since. It is a great privilege. I am not sure why God chose me, but I am glad He did. I will continue as long as He enables me. I want to encourage all of us to be in a good church that has a pastor after God's own heart. Be there regularly to be fed on knowledge and understanding of God's Word. That is God's will, as He leads us all to be more like Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read Jeremiah 4-6.