Fathers as Shepherds: Waiting on the Lord

Waiting opens the morning. Waiting slows the frantic mind and gets out of the Lord’s way. Waiting, as Scripture names it, renews strength and steadies anxious hearts. The call rises to bring the angst, hold still, and listen until God’s will is clear, because “those who wait on the Lord… he’ll renew their strength.”

David carries the center of the word with one sentence: “The Lord is my shepherd.” The accent can fall on is, on my, or on shepherd, but the force lands here: the King still needs a Shepherd. The Shepherd makes, leads, restores, and guides. Green pastures might feel like a forced slowdown, but forced rest is kind care. Still waters don’t happen by accident; the Shepherd dams up the stream so skittish sheep can drink. Restoration isn’t theory for David; adultery, grief, and betrayal pressed him low, and the Shepherd lifted him up. Paths of righteousness are not detours but protection for the Shepherd’s name. The valley is real, with wolves and robbers, but the rod and staff reach, pull, and fend. A table gets set right in the crosshairs of trouble. Oil runs over a head the Shepherd fully knows. Mercy and goodness dog the heels of the one who belongs to him.

A father as a shepherd takes that model and sets direction. Convictions are not up for a weekly vote. Provision aims at “I shall not want,” inside limits and love. Culture in a house needs a barometer, not a thermometer; someone must set the temperature. Green pastures at home are not necessarily large, but they are rich with protein for life in God. Sometimes a dad must dam up the flow so his kids can drink in peace. A father who shepherds becomes a restorer and encourager, not the loudest judge in the bleachers. Integrity under pressure quietly pastors the soul of a home. Healthy discipline, like a steady rod and staff, makes a place feel safe. A dad cannot mandate anyone’s future, but he can set the table for success and pronounce blessing. Oil in Scripture looks like a father’s hands on a child’s head, naming identity, wisdom, and joy. Forgiveness keeps the door unlocked for prodigals; thirty years of gifts can wait in a room, because a shepherd waits in hope. The Shepherd of Psalm 23 finally stands as Savior. His cross and empty tomb open the house of the Lord forever, and his voice still says, come.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Waiting reorders strength and desire Waiting puts the brakes on panic and brings the heart back under God’s timing. The delay is not dead space when the Lord holds the clock. Desire gets sifted so that wanting his will matters more than getting quick answers. Strength rises where hurry dies. [50:23]
• 2. The Shepherd models fatherhood's posture Psalm 23 gives a dad a job description that is sturdy and simple: make room to rest, lead to peace, restore after failure, guide with a good name. This is not driving cattle but leading sheep. The accent on “my” keeps it personal, because a father needs shepherding before he can shepherd. Authority grows gentle when it stays under the Shepherd’s crook. [46:36]
• 3. Dads set culture, not just rules Thermometers report the heat, but barometers set the weather. A father who names what matters most and lives it makes a home breathe easier. Pace, priorities, and tone become livable when someone chooses green over busy and substance over noise. Culture sticks longer than commands. [57:08]
• 4. Create green pastures and still waters Small can be green if it’s full of spiritual protein. A dad may need to dam up the stream, slow the schedule, and make space to actually drink in peace. Quiet rhythms, simple prayers, and unhurried presence become nourishment. Peace is not passive; it is shepherded. [59:49]
• 5. Blessing and forgiveness keep doors open A father’s blessing names identity and future when kids feel unsure and undone. Forgiveness refuses to make reconciliation hinge on the child’s first move; the shepherd goes first. Rooms can fill with thirty years of gifts, because hope does not move out. Mercy keeps the porch light on. [72:28]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [33:45] - Waiting song: I Will Wait
• [36:45] - Sit and bring angst to God
• [38:05] - Those who wait gain strength
• [46:36] - The Lord is my shepherd
• [47:59] - Green pastures and still waters
• [49:03] - He restores my soul
• [50:23] - Waiting is not wasted
• [55:05] - A father's shepherding gifts
• [57:08] - Set culture: barometer not thermometer
• [59:49] - Lead beside still waters at home
• [60:52] - Be the refresher and encourager
• [66:32] - Bless and anoint your children
• [72:28] - Forgive and keep the door open
• [72:59] - Receive the Shepherd today

1. What specific actions does the Shepherd take in Psalm 23 to care for His sheep (e.g., "makes me lie down," "leads me," "restores my soul")?
2. How does the sermon describe the difference between a "thermometer" and a "barometer" in the context of a father’s role? [57:08]
3. According to the sermon, why might "green pastures" feel like a "forced slowdown," and how does this relate to God’s care? [47:59]
4. What examples from David’s life (adultery, grief, betrayal) show the Shepherd’s restoration? [49:03]

1. Why does the Shepherd make the sheep lie down in green pastures instead of letting them choose? What does this reveal about human tendencies versus God’s wisdom?
2. How does the imagery of "still waters" (requiring the Shepherd to dam the stream) reflect intentionality in creating peace? What might "damming the stream" look like in a family or personal context? [48:38]
3. The sermon says, "A father cannot mandate anyone’s future, but he can set the table for success." How does Psalm 23’s "table prepared in the presence of enemies" connect to this idea of proactive faithfulness? [01:06:02]
4. Why is forgiveness described as "keep[ing] the porch light on," and how does this align with the Shepherd’s character in Psalm 23? [01:12:28]

1. Where in your life do you resist "forced slowdowns" (green pastures) that God might be using to care for you? What practical step could you take this week to embrace rest? [47:59]
2. If "culture sticks longer than commands," what is one intentional rhythm (e.g., meals, prayer, conversations) you could establish in your home to reflect the Shepherd’s peace? [57:08]
3. How can you "dam up the stream" of chaos in your daily routine to create "still waters" for yourself or others to drink deeply from God’s presence? [59:49]
4. When have you experienced restoration after failure, like David? How could you extend that same grace to someone in your life who feels "pressed low"? [49:03]
5. The sermon mentions blessing children by "naming identity, wisdom, and joy." What specific words or actions could you use this week to speak life over someone who feels unsure or undone? [01:06:32]
6. Is there a relationship where you’ve been waiting for the other person to "make the first move" toward reconciliation? How might you, as the shepherd, initiate forgiveness instead? [01:12:28]
7. What does "waiting on the Lord" look like in a situation where you’re tempted to rush ahead? How can you shift your focus from outcomes to trusting His timing? [50:23]