Hey friends, it's storytime!

When I was a young girl, I remember my mother needing to use a payphone to make a long-distance phone call (I'm dating myself, I know). To do so, we had to walk about a block away to the convenience store in the sticky Florida heat. While waiting, I quickly became frustrated. So while my mother was on the phone, and had her back turned, I decided to walk the short distance home.

Can you feel the tension building?

I arrived home safely with only minutes to spare before my mother rushed in, panicked. My aunt motioned her to the back where I was happily playing in my cool, air-conditioned room. While I can't recall much of what happened next, I do remember learning a valuable lesson about not wandering off. This week’s journey, about the paths on which we’re guided, reminded me of that day.

As a child, I needed my mother’s guidance for several reasons: I didn’t know where I was going, the path to the store was on a busy street, and I could’ve been hurt or even taken while walking home on my own. Leaving her side was leaving her protection, her covering.

As sheep, we often wander from the presence of our Shepherd when the path He guides us on seems difficult or uncomfortable. In our humanity, we instead choose the path that feels right to us at the time, only to find ourselves far from where God would have us be.

Ladies, here’s what I love about our Shepherd. Not only does He call us back to Him and guide us to the right paths, but He also restores us.

Jennifer Rothschild says it best in this week's Day 1 of Psalm 23: The Shepherd with Me:

“He doesn’t just bring us back from our wanderings, He gives us back what our wanderings have taken from us.”

Wandering from my mother took me out of the realm of safety and put me in harm’s way. I was physically restored after she “found” me, even though I had earned a little reproof. The same is true for us with our Shepherd. We experience spiritual restoration daily through God’s Word.

Here’s to trusting the Shepherd to guide us in paths of righteousness, even if they are paths less traveled.

Quanny

Reflect and Respond:

Think about a time you wandered away from the Shepherd, either in the past or currently. How did you experience, or are you experiencing God’s loving restoration in your life?

Don’t forget, all comments are entered into this week’s giveaway!