Nehemiah 10:29 “These joined with their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse and an oath to walk in God’s Law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes.” Welcome to the year of Great Shepherd, my prayer is that the Great Shepherd will carry you and burdens in Jesus name. Therefore this first month of the year I want to encourage everyone to make a new commitment to walk with God as a sheep and Him as the Shepherd. The people of Jerusalem made a commitment to radically change how they were living; this was a radical commitment to serve God in a greater way than they ever had before this time. Prior to this, the prophets had come and warned the people, but the people had not listened. However, it seems that this time God had their attention and they seem to be serious about their commitment to God. This commitment took their focus off of themselves and placed it on their God. A commitment like this is needed for believers to fully focus on God and His plan for them and this type of commitment forces believers to focus more on how they live rather than what they say. Commitment is what we need today. It reflects the character of Christ and it is a virtue. It is a characteristic of God, who is always faithful and true. Commitment starts not with us, but with God. He has committed himself toward us, to call us and save us and build us up and give us an eternal inheritance in Christ Jesus. Commitment is the basis of our relationship with God. It is the basis of our faith in God. And it is the basis of any good relationships with people. Relationships break down when commitment is absent, when we start to find it difficult to trust. These people wanted to make sure that they will stay on course, and their children and children after them will do the same and so they made the oath to commit themselves to the service of God in unity. If we do not commit, we will find it easy not to do what is pleasing to God. When everything around you crumbles, commit on o the Lord and He will reflect His beauty on you. Make a commitment today to be on the Lord’s side no matter how rough the road may be and it will help you keep on the right track of God. How marvelous it is to be in the care of the One who provides for us so wonderfully. The shepherd does not take the sheep into barren places, but pastures that have sufficient supply. “May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that Great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20. Pastor Yemisi