The Bible frequently tells us that the Lord our God cares for us. Jesus made this message clear when He said, “I am the Bread of Life” in John 6:35. Then He said “I am the Light of the world” in John 8:12. He called Himself the “Door of the sheep” in John 10:7. He said, “Anyone who enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture,” (John 7:9). The Lord was revealing Himself as Jehovah Roi, the Lord our Shepherd, the God Who loves us. Throughout the Bible, God reveals the great truth of His infinite love and care. Genesis 48:15 tells us He is, “The God who has fed me all my life long to this day.” The Lord our God is Jehovah Roi, the Shepherd of our souls. The Psalmist David said: “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.” He is Jehovah Roi — The Lord is my Shepherd.
We are going to look at God’s loving care for each of us. God’s word invites us to look to Him for the love and care that we need. David shows us God’s care when he said: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
1 John 4:16 NIV And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love.
The depth of God’s love can be measured by the fact that His love lasts.
In Jeremiah 31:3 NIV God said: “I have loved you with an everlasting love.”
God’s love for you and me is an everlasting love.
Consider the depth and power of the everlasting love of God. Take this word personally today.
Ephesians 3:17-19 NIV84 I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
The love of Christ has one measure. The depth, height, width and length of His love can only be computed or measured by the fullness of God. In other words, His love takes into account the full measure of what the Father is.
To help us comprehend this, God’s love has your name on it. No matter where you are on your spiritual journey, if you are a seeker, struggler, or saint, God loves you. God does not love you just because you are good, better or best. Where ever you are and what ever you are going through, you can find help in the love of God that is in Christ. If you have turned to Jesus for the answer but are still struggling, you need to know that God loves you deeply. Even if you think everything is great and you have all the answers, God’s love has your name on it. Jesus wants you to know that He is Jehovah Roi – the Lord your Shepherd.
John 10:10 NKJV The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
A shepherd who lived long ago helped us understand what Jehovah Roi – the Lord our Shepherd wants to do for us. He understood God’s personal care and His love. He knew that Jehovah Roi shepherds His people. God shows His love by the way He takes care of individuals. When the Psalmist compared the Lord God Almighty to a Shepherd, he understood his need to take God’s love personally.
He did this when he said: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” [Psalm 23:1 KJV]
Jehovah Roi makes His love personal as He meets our need and gives us His grace.
- We just looked at the fact that God is El Shaddai, the Almighty God.
- We saw that He is Jehovah Rapha — the God Who heals all our wounds and diseases.
- He has shown Himself to be Jehovah Shammah — the God who is present.
In Jehovah Roi, we see the revelation of all of these in God’s care for us. He is the Lord our Shepherd Who meets our need and gives us His grace. What does it mean to receive His grace? Grace is the unmerited favor of God. We all deserve justice and judgment, but God gives grace to the humble. Grace is getting the opposite of what we deserve. God gives us grace through the Lord Jesus Christ. God’s grace, mercy and peace overflow to us from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. God’s mercy comes to us because God is full of grace. This mercy, grace and peace come down to us because God is love. Watch how Isaiah demonstrates the depth of God’s love and grace.
Isaiah 53:6 NKJV All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
We don’t deserve grace and mercy like that. We have acted like sheep that have left God’s paths to follow our own way. We have gone astray and wandered into paths that lead to destruction, darkness and death. Here is an amazing fact about God’s grace and love.
God would rather die than live without you… or me. That is exactly what He did. He did die so that we could live with Him.
In John 10:11 NKJV Jesus said: “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”
John 10:14-15 NKJV I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.
That is real grace and mercy. God loves us so much that He gives us the opposite of what we deserve. Love prompted God’s Son to come and die for each of us. That love prompts God to keep His eye on each of us. Notice the intimate and personal care that Jehovah Roi gives. He said, “I know My sheep, and am known by My own.”
John 3:16 NKJV For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Do you see that God wants you to benefit from His love?
God makes His love personal as He meets our need and gives us His grace. He makes His love personal as He guides us. Since God is Jehovah Roi – the Lord our Shepherd, He personally guides and cares for His people. We have a personal God Who watches over us to guide and take care of us.
2 Chronicles 16:9 NKJV The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.
You need to know that God has your best interest in mind. David knew that God was working in the world, and in his life. Usually, when I think of the Lord being our Shepherd and the care that He gives, I think of Psalms 23.
Psalm 23:1-6 NKJV The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
He said, “the Lord’s rod protects and His staff guides and comforts.” Jehovah Roi – the Lord our Shepherd is intimately involved in our world and in our lives. The baby in the manger in Bethlehem points to God’s personal interest and presence. God came down to become our Savior. The cross reminds us that He came to earth to bear our sin, sickness, and penalty. The blood of the cross personally deals with all of our need, weaknesses and protection. The empty tomb shows us that He conquered our greatest enemies so that we may have life and peace. Everything that He did back then is amplified by the fact that God is still with us and is working in our lives.
If you will listen, you will still hear His voice today. He is making arrangements to guide you in the way you should go. Even if you don’t know it, God is intimately and personally involved in your life. It is difficult to understand the full extent of His watchful care over us. We have had moments when we have known without a doubt that God was arranging things and guiding our lives. We have seen that if it had not been for the Lord Who was on our side we would have been consumed. Jehovah Roi is the “God who shepherds His people.” He is a “hands-on” manager of our lives.
In Jeremiah 31:3 NIV He tells us, “I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you…plans to give you hope and a future.”
It is good to know that God has plans to guide, protect, and prosper us. When He guides us along, He always leads us into places where He restores, renews, and refreshes our souls. He has plans to prosper us and plans to give us hope and a future. Even when the enemy rises up against us and when we go through the valley of the shadow of death, Jehovah Roi guides us along. Never forget that we are like sheep. We like to go our own way, do our own thing and go astray. We must develop a responsive sensitivity to the Lord.
In John 10:27 NKJV Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”
If you want to enjoy all of the benefits of His grace and mercy you must learn to “hear His voice.” Jesus said, “If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” (John 10:9 NKJV)
The Psalmist said, “He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.”
The Lord wants to lead you in such a way that your soul is restored. He will lead you in good paths of righteousness. He knows how to keep you safe, even when the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. In the presence of your enemies, He anoints your head with oil and gives overflowing joy.
God makes His love very personal. He personally guides you along the right path. He also makes His love personal as He guards you. Sheep are vulnerable and they are an easy prey. No matter how well we manage our lives, there are times when we are in over our heads. We face dangers that we did not know existed. We get into situations and relationships we cannot manage. What should we do?
Listen to what David said:
Psalm 40:11-12 NLT Lord, don’t hold back your tender mercies from me. Let your unfailing love and faithfulness always protect me. For troubles surround me— too many to count! My sins pile up so high I can’t see my way out. They outnumber the hairs on my head. I have lost all courage.
When things were too tough for David, he turned to the Lord His Shepherd. When he failed and was surrounded with troubles, He needed the Lord. We need a tough and loving Shepherd Who will go with us and guide our lives.
David said this: Psalm 23:4 NLT I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
Whenever the going gets tough, remember God is going with you. The “maker of heaven and earth” is our Shepherd. God Almighty is with us. He summons all of His might to keep us safe. He uses His power to change our situations. He also knows how to make us strong so that we can face life’s situations. God insists on doing this because He loves us.
Do you get the picture? The God who loves the world, makes His love personal for you. He said all kinds of people may forget you and forsake you. In Isaiah 49:15 He said: “I’ll never forget you…never.”
Isaiah 49:16 AMP Behold, I have indelibly imprinted you on the palm of each of My hands; your walls are continually before Me.
You need to know that God has not and cannot forget you. Jehovah Roi – this God who shepherds you and me – makes His love personal and practical.
In an ultimate expression of His love and care, Jehovah Roi – The Lord our Shepherd lay down His life for the sheep.
John 10:11 NKJV “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
We have heard this often but the story never gets old. Jesus Christ came to provide perfect salvation for everyone who puts their whole-hearted trust in Him. He will save you from your sins. He will help and strengthen you. He will comfort and shield you. Listen to Him say: “I lay down My life for the sheep.” He did this for you on the cross.
