Read His Words Before Ours!
Zephaniah 3:14-20
Psalm 23:2
Colossians 3:12-17
Shepherd, Day 5
Lead
Definition of the Hebrew word: יְנַהֲלֵֽנִי׃ (pronounced naw-hal’)
to lead, give rest, lead with care, guide to a watering place or station, cause to rest,
bring to a station or place of rest, guide, refresh
Leadership is a tough road, friends. It’s scary, it’s intense, it’s pressure-filled.
It’s heavy on the side of accountability, vision, loving others, being “on”.
Leadership wearies.
And before you say, “I’m not a leader, so this doesn’t apply.”
Stop.
You are. We all have a sphere of influence that we’ve been given. We all lead.
Every single one of my seven children from 15 months to 14 years are leaders.
They all lead those around them into either greatness or into disobedience.
And let me tell you, their influence is significant; able to quickly turn the tide of their siblings, of their friends, of their parents, and even their whole family.
Whether it’s a tantrum, an encouraging word, a genuine hug, or a kick and a punch,
their influence is felt.
As Is Yours.
Student. Wife. Mama. Friend. Co-worker. Boss. Woman. Sister. Leader.
What we do with our leadership is significant.
Its influence is felt far and wide, whether we realize it or not.
Because our leadership reach is so far-reaching,
where we lead from makes all the difference.
When my daughter reaches out to hug the brother who just kicked her and, rather than run tattling, rather than kicking back, she hugs and says, “I can tell you’re having a rough morning.”
She is leading from something deeper and more solid than her own sense of self-preservation.
She’s leading from love.
Sacrificial. Humble. Love.
He leads me beside quiet waters.
When my husband gets my text message and reads between the lines to know that something deeper is happening than the words appearing on the screen, and he chooses to lay aside his work, hang up his call, and ask what’s really going on…..he’s leading from love.
Sacrificial. Humble. Love
He leads me beside quiet waters.
When we hold our tongue to listen to others.
When we choose to step into another’s shoes rather than pass judgment.
When we give generously.
When we pause to consider what it would look like to love our spouse better today.
When we seek the good of another over our own convenience.
When we lay aside the insistence that others fit into our parameters.
We are leading from love.
Sacrificial. Humble. Love.
Leading like this is hard. Leading like this doesn’t come naturally.
Leading like this, doing it well, and doing it consistently, necessitates One Thing.
Being led.
Sacrificing our own agenda to be led.
Humbly submitting ourselves to another’s leadership.
Leading from love.
He leads me beside quiet waters.
Hush. Peace. Slow. Be still.
He leads.
Hands stop moving.
Brains stop rushing ahead.
Agendas die.
Must Do lists fade.
All the voices silenced.
Closed doors.
Hush.
Peace.
Listen.
Quiet Waters.
He leads me beside quiet waters.
We cannot lead well if we refuse to be led.
יְנַהֲלֵֽנִי׃ has the connotation of being led station by station, from one, very intentional place of rest into the next in a continuous journey of quiet water to quiet water.
Wait, you might say, I don’t know about you, but my life is anything BUT quiet water.
Yes! Mine too!
But still, His invitation remains.
He leads me beside quiet waters.
Whether I’m leading my toddler in a rhythmic bedtime routine, homeschooling my children, leading at church, or choosing to love my husband better, intentional rhythms are crucial.
Leadership takes planning, forethought, a direction, and the discipline to follow through on those plans.
Being led requires the same discipline.
We will not have access to the quiet waters if we refuse to be intentional on allowing the Shepherd access to our hearts.
Quiet time.
Space for silence and solitude with the Savior.
Journaling prayers.
Allowing access. Being led. Accepting love.
He leads me beside quiet waters.
When we make space for quiet and time carved out to let the Savior love us with His own Word, we can lead from that love.
When we make meeting with Him, in submission to His leadership, the rhythm and practice of our daily lives,
He leads us solidly from quiet water to quiet water.
The world will continue to be loud.
The relationships may continue to spiral.
Others choices may continue to frustrate and be destructive,
but you will be steadfast.
Held by the hand that leads you from the quiet water of Himself, the very Living Water.
Jesus answered,
“If you knew the gift of God, and who is saying to you,
‘Give me a drink,’ you would ask Him,
and He would give you living water.” (John 4:10)
If you knew….
Oh sisters, if you knew of the sweet intimacies and depth of riches of being led from quiet water to quiet water, while being refreshed and refueled by the Living Water of Jesus Christ Himself, you would ask Him. And He would give it.
Drink deep.
Create the space.
Submit to His leadership.
And learn the rhythms of leading from His quieting love.
Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
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