“The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack.He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters. He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him—not for my earning it, but] for His name’s sake.Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me.You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my [brimming] cup runs over. Surely or only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place.”
Psalm 23
Grace Perspective:
This is another passage we could spend weeks unpacking. I encourage you to dig deeper into these rich verses that are filled with gracious promises from our Shepherd. This is a personal Psalm, written by David as he reminded himself that God is a personal God. Notice how many times David uses the words “my,” “me,” and “I.” David knows the deep affection of the Lord and is reminding himself, and us, just how deeply the Father cares for His sheep. If you are in Christ, our Good Shepherd (John 10:11), you have been bought at a high price. You are a sheep that cost our Father the life of His Son, and have been specifically chosen to follow Him. You are deeply loved, and He will care for you, but you must choose to follow Him.
God knows exactly what we need and gives us all we need at just the right time. Often He leads us to pleasant places filled with good food and sweet water, a place of rest. Yet, sometimes He leads to a dry, dangerous, and dark place. A scary place where we are tempted to feel alone, abandoned, and forsaken. This Psalm is a gentle reminder that He will never leave us nor lead us to a place that He won’t be with us. We may not “feel” Him beside us, but He is there. This Psalm reminds us that He is there leading us along the paths of righteousness, but we must follow Him.
As we walk through seasons of uncertainty, doubt, fear, and anxiety, we can turn to His word. His word will strengthen us, remind us to remember His promises, and trust that though His way isn’t always easy, following Him will lead us to the ultimate place of green pastures and restful waters.
God promises that His mercy and love are always available, for they flow freely from the throne of grace. As we walk under the protection our Shepherd supplies, let’s remember that following Him closely is always the safest, if not easiest, path.
A Touch of Grace:
What do you know about the Lord, our Shepherd?
What kind of sheep are you?
Grace Application:
Sheep aren’t the smartest animals, often wandering off the safe path, seeking to find greener pastures apart from their Shepherd. Umm.. can you relate? I can, too often, I am a baaaad sheep. (Sorry I can’t resist)
I love how God uses the image of sheep throughout Scripture to remind us how ridiculous we are when we try to do life apart from Him. Sheep are helpless creatures. They will eat poisonous plants as they thoughtlessly munch away on whatever is in front of them. They can’t groom themselves or protect themselves from predators. Their only hope is to have a good shepherd that will guide them to a pasture he has carefully chosen that doesn’t have plants that will kill them and trust that he will lead them to still, freshwater.
Jesus is the good Shepherd, desiring to guide us on paths of righteousness that He has specifically chosen for each of us individually. They aren’t always the easy way, as a matter of fact, they may be far more difficult than we think we can handle. But, following the Shepherd will always prove to be the best choice as He will give us all we need to sustain and strengthen us along the way. When we stray off the path, He promises to come to get us. The rescue may prove painful, especially if we have wandered far and fallen into a pit. Our good Shepherd may even have to break our hearts, so we see our deep need for His protection and guidance. However, He will restore us, heal our hearts (though hopefully, they will remain tender), and lead us continually towards our ultimate destination, Heaven.
Yes, we will walk through a valley that leads to the end of life on this earth. However, as we keep our eyes firmly focused on Jesus, He will lead us to the greenest pastures, sweetest waters, and a feast that will satisfy us fully. Heaven, where we will dwell with our gracious Shepherd forever.
Prayer:
Gracious Father, thank you for being my Shepherd and patiently guiding, feeding, and protecting me. Forgive me for the numerous times I have chosen to wander away from Your protection and care. Lead me in the direction You want me to go and give me a heart of obedience to follow You. Help me faithfully follow You on Your paths of righteousness so that I will know your mercy and goodness all the days of this life as You lead me home to Heaven. In the precious name of Jesus Christ, our Savior, Amen.
**Today, as you read this, I pray each of you will know for certain you are in Christ Jesus. If you have any doubt, please call out to God so all doubt may be erased. Today is a good day to be assured of salvation in Christ Jesus. If you have any questions, please contact me at graceisdawning@gmail.com**