The Shepherd Who Leads Us Far from Home

Many of us arrived in Columbus with a suitcase and a bag full of hope. The first months are usually hard: different weather, a different language, and no extended family to call late at night.

That is where Psalm 23 feels very near. David does not say he never walked through the valley; he says he did not walk through it alone. The good shepherd goes ahead, knows the path, and leads his sheep all the way to still waters.

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. (Psalm 23:1)

Being a diaspora congregation means learning to shepherd one another: checking in, offering a ride to church, cooking a meal for someone who just landed. Through the hands of fellow members we often experience the Shepherd’s leading.

This week, try reaching out to one person who may be walking through a valley of their own. A simple presence can be a reminder that God never abandons his people.