Page 33 - Radical Love by Linda Robinson

RADICAL LOVE

As I was thinking about this verse, I was suddenly filled with wonder

as He said, “I am your own personal Shepherd who leads those who
will follow Me — not just in the corporate sense, but I tailor each path

to suit every individual need. And as I created each one, I alone know
what is best for them.”

Psalm 25:10 (ESV) says: “All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love

and faithfulness, for those who keep His covenant and testimonies.”

It is this truth — the fact that He loves us so much and is faithful to us

— that will enable us to keep following Him. And even when His path
leads us, at walking pace, through the valley of the shadow of death,

we will still be able to say: “I will fear no evil, for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff — they comfort me.”

When this Psalm was written, shepherds from this area spent weeks on

end with their flocks, searching for the best pastures throughout the
mountains of Samaria and Judea—especially in summer when it was

dry. To reach the higher meadows, where the temperatures were cooler

and the vegetation lusher, they and their flock would have had to face
numerous potential threats from several areas.

There were thieves, wild animals, snakes, possible water shortages,
incredible heat, and falling rocks to be mindful of as they worked their

way through the valleys and ravines onto the heights. These long drives
to higher ground meant that the shepherd would be alone with the sheep

for substantial periods of time. Once they had left the safety of the

19