Cup of Faith - Day 10

Scripture of the Day 

Psalm 23:4 - Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff,  they comfort me.

Devotion of the Day

Yesterday we talked about how our God is a God who provides. Today we are going to focus on how our God is also a God who protects!  If we think about the nature of sheep we are reminded that they often wander with their heads down. They walk to the nearest clump of grass and keep grazing. They may easily end up far from the herd and even in a dangerous place. 

The shepherd's job was to watch out for the safety of each lamb in the group. The shepherd would use his rod to pull a wandering sheep back to safety. 

In our lives we sometimes walk with our head down looking for the next "clump". This might be the next task on our to-do list, an upcoming event or even an all-consuming worry. As we move away from our shepherd towards the next "clump" we can end up far from where God intended us to be. 

The good news for us is that we have a shepherd who is willing to guide us and protect us. One of the best ways for God to guide us is through daily time in the Word. The Word is how God pulls us back to where we need to be. 

Focus Points for the Day

Question - We know that God has helped guide us back to where we need to be in the past. As you look back, try to think of a time when God pulled you back to where you needed to be? What clump were you headed to? Where did you end up instead with God's help?

Action - Take a moment today to sketch out a picture of the top 3 "clumps" in your life. Identifying them may help you to stay on track. When we are aware of how we fall away from God it can help us to break those patterns.