Shepherding God,
Today we pray for the pastors of your Church – for those men and women you have entrusted to lead congregations of your followers. We pray that you would give them a deep hunger for You – your righteousness, your justice, and your love. We pray they would be totally led by your Holy Spirit and not by the other spirits of this world. We pray their ministries would be protected from temptation to sin – especially temptations to power, money, fame, or sexual sins. Protect their marriages and children from the prowling of the enemy of our souls. Help them to be good shepherds for the flocks they lead – giving them good spiritual food from the Word and always leading in such a way that encourages spiritual growth and service in their communities. Help us to not neglect to pray for them, as we know they are under your strict supervision and are held to a high standard. We pray you would guide them personally and in their ministries into the right paths, for the honor and glory of your Name. For Jesus’s sake we pray, Amen.
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. (John 10:11-15)
“He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:3)
7-8 Appreciate your pastoral leaders who gave you the Word of God. Take a good look at the way they live, and let their faithfulness instruct you, as well as their truthfulness. There should be a consistency that runs through us all. For Jesus doesn’t change—yesterday, today, tomorrow, he’s always totally himself.
17 Be responsive to your pastoral leaders. Listen to their counsel. They are alert to the condition of your lives and work under the strict supervision of God. Contribute to the joy of their leadership, not its drudgery. Why would you want to make things harder for them?
18-21 Pray for us. We have no doubts about what we’re doing or why, but it’s hard going and we need your prayers. All we care about is living well before God. Pray that we may be together soon. (from Hebrews 13, MSG)