JEHOVAH repeatedly likens himself to just such a shepherd. In his Word, he assures us: “I myself will search for my sheep, and I will care for them.”—Ezekiel 34:11, 12.

Who are Jehovah’s sheep? Simply put, Jehovah’s sheep are the people who love and worship him. The Bible says: “Let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before Jehovah our Maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, the sheep in his care.” (Psalm 95:6, 7) Like literal sheep following a shepherd, Jehovah’s worshippers are eager to follow their Shepherd. Are they flawless? No. God’s servants have, at times, become “scattered sheep,” “lost sheep,” and “like sheep going astray.” (Ezekiel 34:12; Matthew 15:24; 1 Peter 2:25) Even so, when a person drifts away, Jehovah does not abandon him as being beyond hope.

 Do you feel that Jehovah is still your Shepherd? How does Jehovah prove to be a Shepherd today? Consider three ways:

He feeds us spiritually. “In a good pasture I will feed them,” Jehovah says. “They will lie down there in a good grazing land, and they will feed on choice pastures.” (Ezekiel 34:14) Jehovah has never failed to give us a refreshing variety of timely spiritual food. Can you think of an article, a talk, or a video that answered your prayer for help? Did it not convince you that Jehovah cares about you personally?

He protects and supports us. Jehovah promises: “The stray I will bring back, the injured I will bandage, and the weak I will strengthen.” (Ezekiel 34:16) Jehovah strengthens those weakened or overwhelmed by anxiety. He bandages his sheep, helping them to heal if they have been hurt—perhaps even by fellow believers. And he brings back those who have strayed and who may struggle with negative feelings.

He feels responsible for us. “I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered,” Jehovah says. “The lost one I will search for.” (Ezekiel 34:12, 16) To Jehovah, a lost sheep is not a lost cause. He knows when a sheep is missing, he searches for that sheep, and he rejoices when he finds it. (Matthew 18:12-14) After all, he calls his true worshippers “my sheep, the sheep that I care for.” (Ezekiel 34:31) You are one of those sheep.

Why is Jehovah searching for you and inviting you to return to him? Because he wants you to be happy. He promises that “blessings will pour down like the rains” for his sheep. (Ezekiel 34:26) That is no empty promise. You have already seen the evidence firsthand.

Recall your experiences as you came to know Jehovah. For example, how did you feel when you first learned the thrilling truths about God’s name and his purpose for humans? Do you remember how refreshing it was to be united with fellow Christians at assemblies and conventions? When you were able to share the good news with someone who showed genuine interest, did you not return home happy and deeply satisfied?

You can regain those joys. “Bring us back to yourself, O Jehovah,” God’s servants of old prayed, “and we will readily return to you. Renew our days as in those of old.” (Lamentations 5:21) Jehovah answered that prayer, and his people returned to serve him with renewed joy. (Nehemiah 8:17) Jehovah will do the same for you.

Still, returning to Jehovah is easier said than done. Consider some challenges of returning and how you can overcome them.

E JEHOVA keghi ya egbe irẹn gie egbe ọsuohuan vberriọ inugba nọ khin. Vbe uwe Ẹmwẹ ọghẹe, irẹn keghi rhie ilẹkẹtin ne ima wẹẹ: “I gha gualọ avbe ohuan mwẹ miẹn, I ghi vbe tobọ mwẹ gha gbaroghe iran.”—Ezikiẹl 34:11, 12.

De emwa ni re ohuan ọghe Jehova? Ohuan ọghe Jehova ma gberra emwa ni hoẹmwẹ irẹn kevbe ni vbe gae. E Baibol khare wẹẹ: “Wa larre, wa gima ghughẹ rre, na ye uhunmwu rhanmwẹ otọ nẹ, wa gima diguẹ ne Enọyaẹnmwa, ne Ayi nọ yi mwa. Irẹn ọre Osanobua mwa, ma ọre emwa ne irẹn gbaroghe, oghẹn ohuan ne irẹn koko.” (Psalm 95:6, 7) Vbe na ghee avbe ohuan ne ohuan nọ lele ọsuohuan khian, eguọmwadia Jehova keghi muegbe ne iran ya lele Ọsuohuan ọghe iran. Emwa ni gbae ẹre iran khin ra? Ẹn o. Ẹghẹ eso vbe gha rrọọ ne eguọmwadia Osanobua ya gha re “avbe ohuan ni zagha kua,” “ohuan ni wiri,” kevbe “avbe ohuan ni bibi odẹ.” (Ezikiẹl 34:12; Matiu 15:24; 1 Pita 2:25) Ọrheyerriọ, ọmwa gha wii oghẹn, e Jehova i wa fi iyeke gbe ẹre, zẹvbe ọmwa ne ọghẹe wa fo fẹfẹfẹ.

 Wẹ roro ẹre wẹẹ, Ọsuohuan ruẹ ẹre Jehova ye khin ra? De vbene Jehova ya rhiẹre ma hẹ vbe ẹdẹnẹrẹ wẹẹ, Ọsuohan ẹre irẹn khin? Gia ziro yan odẹ eha:

Irẹn keghi koko ima vbe odẹ ọghe orhiọn. ‘I gha gie iran rhie irunmwu vbe otọ nọ maan,’ erriọ e Jehova khare. ‘Iran gha lovbiẹ ye otọ ne irunmwu nọma ye, irunmwu nọ ghi yẹẹ iran sẹ, ẹre iran khian gha re.’ (Ezikiẹl 34:14) Ẹghẹ ọkpa i rrọọ ne Jehova he ya ye obọ gbe obọ wẹẹ, ọ ma ghi sẹtin kpemehe evbare ne rọkhọ ughughan ọghe orhiọn nọ rre ye ẹghẹ ne ima. U gha sẹtin yerre ako ọkpa nu tiere vbe ebe ọghomwa, ra ọta nu danmwehọ re, ra e vidio ọghomwa nu ghee re ne Osanobua ya họn erhunmwu ruẹ ra? Ọni ma rhie ilẹkẹtin nuẹ wẹẹ, Jehova gele gbaroghe ruẹ ra?

Irẹn gbogba ga ima kevbe ọ vbe ye ima obọ. E Jehova yan rẹn: “I ghi viọ iran ni bibi odẹ werriegbe rre, I gha gbalọ ẹwẹn iran ni kuan egbe vbọ, I gha sinmwi iran ni khuọnmwi.” (Ezikiẹl 34:16) E Jehova keghi rhie ẹrhiọn ye iran iwu ighẹ emwa ne iro haan rẹn rhunmwuda osi. Irẹn keghi gbalọ ẹwẹn ọghe ohuan rẹn, ọ ghi vbe sinmwi iran deghẹ iran na miẹn ikuaẹn egbe—uhiẹn vbe obọ etẹn ne iran gba ga. Emwa ni wii oghẹn kevbe egbọre ni vbe gha roro iro nọ ma gba, keghi re ne irẹn werriegbe viọ ye akharha.

Irẹn keghi ghee ima zẹvbe emwa ne irẹn gbaroghe. ‘I gha ya viọ iran rre vbe ehe hia na te zagha iran kua yi,’ erriọ e Jehova khare. ‘I gha gualọ e nọ wiri vbọ.’ (Ezikiẹl 34:12, 16) Nọ ne Jehova, ohuan nọ wiri, ma wa wii fẹfẹfẹ. Ohuan ọkpa gha wii te ọ rẹn, ọ ya gualọ ohuan nii, kevbe ọ gha ghọghọ vbe ọ gha ghi miẹn ọnrẹn nẹ. (Matiu 18:12-14) Uhiẹn, ọ kue vbe tie emwa ni ga irẹn vbe odẹ ọghe ẹmwata “ohuan mwẹ, oghẹn ne imẹ koko.” (Ezikiẹl 34:31) Ọkpa vbuwe ohuan nii ẹre uwẹ khin.

Vbọzẹ ne Jehova na gualọ ruẹ kevbe ne ọ na tie ruẹ nu werriegbe bu irẹn gha dee? Rhunmwuda ọ hoo nu gha ghọghọ. Irẹn yan rẹn wẹẹ: “afiangbe gha tue kua vbene a ghe amẹ nọ rrọọ” yan ohuan ọghẹe. (Ezikiẹl 34:26, NW) Ọna i re eyan ọghe ọta kua na tisẹ. Aro ruẹ ka sọe nẹ ighẹ emwi nọ suigiẹ ye ọna.

Yẹre rre, avbe emwi nu miẹn vbe ẹghẹ nu do ya rẹn e Jehova. Vbe igiemwi, vbọ gha ye hẹ vbe ekhọe ruẹ vbe ẹghẹ okaro nu ya ruẹ ẹmwata nọ gbọmwa otiti nọ dekaan eni ọghe Osanobua kevbe emwi ne irẹn gu yi emwa nagbọn? Wẹ yerre, vbene egbe rhọkhọ ruẹ hẹ, vbe ẹghẹ nii ne uwẹ vbe avbe etẹn ya gha sọyẹnmwẹ kugbe vbe avbe asikoko nekherhe kevbe nọkhua ra? Vbe ẹghẹ nii, nu na sẹtin kporhu iyẹn nọma ma ọmwa nọ rhie ehọ nuẹ ta yi, ekhọe ruẹ ma vuọn ne oghọghọ kevbe isọkẹn ẹsẹsẹmwẹse ra?

U gha sẹtin werriegbe gha mwẹ ọyẹnmwẹ vberriọ. Eguọmwadia Osanobua nẹdẹ keghi na erhunmwu wẹẹ, ‘Werriegbe viọ ima ye akharha ruẹ, Eo Jehova, ma gha bu ruẹ rre ẹgiẹgiẹ. Ya ẹdẹ ọghomwa khian ọghe ọgbọn vbene ọ ghaa ye vbe ẹghẹ nẹdẹ.’ (Eve Orriara 5:21) E Jehova keghi họn erhunmwu nii, kevbe emwa rẹn na werriegbe bu ẹre gha dee, vbene iran na werriegbe gha mwẹ ọyẹnmwẹ. (Nehimaia 8:17) E Jehova gha vbe ru egbọre nuẹ.

Ọrheyerriọ, na bu e Jehova gha dee i lọghọ na ta, sokpan na do ruẹ, ẹre ọ ba vbọ. Muẹn roro isievẹn eso ni rrọọ vbe a ghaa werriegbe dee, kevbe vbene u gha ya lae gberra hẹ.