Do You Really Want A Shepherd?

This post is a repeat of my 10/2019 post. It's been so long I decided to start the series again. :)

The Lord is my Shepherd

I shall not want Psalm 23:1

The Lord is my Shepherd.

An amazing truth; an unchangeable fact.

If you have accepted Jesus’ forgiveness and are building a relationship with Him, He is your Shepherd.

Most of us picture a gentle Jesus carrying a lamb, with sheep gathered around Him. But really, when is life peaceful?

Bills, kids, work issues, to-do list at home, the list goes on. We might feel overwhelmed by the daily problems or decisions we face.

How wonderful to know that our Shepherd is right by our side to calm us, to strengthen us, and to guide us. We can say, as Jacob said to Joseph in Genesis 48:15, “God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day.”

Jesus never takes a breath. He never tires of hearing your voice. He loves you beyond your wildest imagination.

We never walk alone; our Shepherd is continually with us.

I shall not want.

David didn’t end with the calm assurance that the Lord is my Shepherd, he proclaimed his choice to be satisfied with the life his Shepherd gave Him.

Wait a minute. I’d like to focus on the shepherd part and not acknowledge my responsibility stated in the second part of this verse. Do I simply want a shepherd who will care for me, or do I want a shepherd who expects me to follow him? 

Jesus is our faithful Shepherd, but we must choose to rest in his guidance and be satisfied with His provision.

I’ve got a great husband, a nice house, a reliable car, two perfect grandchildren, three fun grandpets, and a dog who loves me unconditionally.

But…

I see bigger houses and I want them. Surely they come with a maid!

I’ve always dreamed of having a Ferrari. My little Ford doesn’t cut it. Give me a bright red sports car!

Of course, I’m being frivolous, but, sometimes, I focus on what I don’t have rather than the unbelievable blessings that surround me. Too often, I live in a grass-is-always-greener world.

David was content with the blessings God gave him, no matter the circumstances.

• When he hid in a cave to escape men who wanted to kill him, David was at peace with his Shepherd (Psalm 57).
• When he and Bathsheba’s baby died, David recognized the justice of God’s punishment and was confident that God would forgive him a give him another son (Psalm 51).
• When his own son seized his throne and David had to flee Jerusalem, he was satisfied with the Lord’s provision (Psalm 3).

Paul expressed the same faith in Philippians 4:11, For I have learned to be content, whatever the circumstances.

What does it mean to say, “I shall not want.”?

• We choose to be satisfied with what God provides, no matter how small.
• We choose to accept His guidance, even though we might not agree with His leading.
• We choose to follow where He leads, even though we might wish to go elsewhere.

Yes, that’s hard. I’ll be the first to admit, I’ll never reach this perspective. Through the difficulties in our lives, we can learn this one thing:

My Shepherd can be trusted with my life!

He [the Lord] tends his flock like a shepherd; He gathers the lambs up in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. Isaiah 40:11

Let’s share: How do you see Jesus’ ministry as your Shepherd in your life?

Psalm 23:1 Choose Jesus, Your Shepherd

The Lord is my Shepherd

I shall not want. Psalm 23:1

This verse describes a beautiful truth and presents a difficult choice. All in nine words.

The Lord is my Shepherd.

An amazing truth; an unchangeable fact. 
If you have accepted Jesus’ forgiveness and are building a relationship with Him, He is your Shepherd. 

Most of us picture a gentle man carrying a lamb, with sheep gathered around Him. A peaceful, pastoral scene. But really, when is life peaceful? Bills, kids and homework, an issue at work, a to-do list at home...there's always something.

Sometimes, we feel overwhelmed by the daily problems or decisions we face. How wonderful to know that our Shepherd is right by our side to calm us, to strengthen us, and to guide us. We can say, as Jacob said to Joseph in Genesis 48:15, "God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day." 

Jesus never takes a break, He never tires of hearing your voice. He loves you beyond your wildest imagination. 

We never walk alone, our Shepherd is with us.

• He longs to provide what we need.
• He offers guidance during difficult times.
• He offers wisdom when we face hard decisions.

I shall not want.

There is such calm assurance with Jesus as our Shepherd, but David didn't end there. He proclaimed his choice to be continuously satisfied with the life his Shepherd gave him. 

Jesus is our faithful Shepherd, but we must choose to rest in his guidance and be satisfied with His provision.  


Remember the old saying, “The grass is always greener…”?

I've got a great husband, a nice 
house, a new car, great kids, two perfect grandchildren, three fun grandpets, and a dog who loves me unconditionally. 



But...

I see bigger houses and I want them. Surely they come with a maid!
I've always dreamed of having a Ferrari. My little Ford just doesn't cut it. Give me a bright red sports car!

Of course, I'm being frivolous, but sometimes I focus on what I don't have and miss the unbelievable blessings that surround me. Sometimes, I live in a grass-is-always-greener world. 

David didn't look beyond what he had, no matter the circumstance.  

• When he hid in a cave to escape the men who wanted to kill him, he was at peace with his Shepherd (Psalm 57). 
• When he lost his son born to Bathsheba, he went before the Lord, recognizing the justice of God's punishment and confident that God would forgive him and give him another son (Psalm 51).
• When he lost his home and position as King of Israel, he was satisfied with his Shepherd's provision (Psalm 3).

What does it mean to say, "I shall not want."?

• We choose to be satisfied with what He provides, no matter how small.
• We choose to accept His guidance, though we might not agree.
• We choose to follow where He leads, though we might wish to go elsewhere.

Does that sound harsh to you? I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not sure I'll ever reach this perspective. Sometimes, I look around and see needs that are unmet. Why shouldn't we have enough income to feed and clothe our families? Why do we see others who have to rely on someone else's generosity to live a simple life? 

Through his difficult life, David learned this one thing: 

My Shepherd can be trusted with my life. 

• He won't leave us without guidance.
• He strengthens us and helps us to follow Him closer each day.
• He loves us and will continue to call us to His side.

He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs

up his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently 

leads those that have young.  Isaiah 40:11

The Shepherd never leaves His sheep.

How do you see Jesus' ministry as your Shepherd in your life?

The 7 Wonders of Psalm 23: Part Six

After a couple weeks break, I'm back at it. 

Check out a wonderful blog, The Stream's Edge by Jeanne Doyon
to read her post on the tools of the shepherd.


Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 23:4b


When you read this, what comes to mind first?

My eyes focus on that word rod and my mind flashes back to my childhood.

“If you do that one more time…” And I usually did.

“What did you just say to me?” And I’d repeat it.

Getting the idea that I wasn’t the brightest kid on the block?

A rod isn’t a comforting thing.

But, for David, God’s rod and His staff brought him security, peace, and a sense of God’s protection.

We must be missing something.

Remember that David was a shepherd at heart. He understood his Father’s love and care for His children.

The rod was a symbol of the shepherd’s sovereignty and complete responsibility over his flock.



With his rod, the shepherd counted his sheep and took special notice of them. He was aware of their needs at all times and the sheep could rest in his care.



When the lion or bear came to attack his flock, the rod was David's defense weapon.


David found comfort in the rod of sovereignty his Father held over his life. He trusted the Lord to hold him close in His heart always, continually aware of his needs. He knew that, when his enemies attacked, God's rod was there to protect him.

I admit I’m a control freak. I want to be in charge of what’s happening today and to make my own decisions for all the days ahead.

Because I don’t surrender to my Father and rest in His sovereignty, I panic when things don’t go as I planned. When I trust in God’s love and care, I can be at peace when life takes an unexpected turn. I can rest in knowing that God sees all of my tomorrows and that He is never taken by surprise. He is my sovereign Protector.

We might not all be aware of the shepherd’s rod but we all are familiar with his staff and its curve at the end.


Countless times, David would’ve reached out and caught the neck one of his straying sheep to protect it from wandering away from the protection of the flock. He would keep an innocent lamb close to his side. He was continually alert, ready to rescue his sheep from danger

David rested in God’s protection. He trusted God to guide his path and to draw him back to His side when he wandered into danger. He knew that God held him close when

David chose to find comfort in God’s rod and staff. He chose to rest in God’s sovereignty and to be secure in His protection.

Sometimes, the path we walk can be difficult. We can choose to panic and/or have a temper fit – like I do – or we can rest in our Father’s sovereignty. Trusting is hard when things seem to be falling apart. No one can teach us that lesson better than David. He trusted when things seemed impossible, when God’s promises went unfulfilled year after year.

Close you eyes and remember all the times God was with you in the past. Trust me, He can be trusted.

If your life is like mine, it’s peppered with some pretty dumb choices. I’m always sure I know where I want to go and what I want to do when I get there. I’m good at ploughing ahead but not so good at measuring consequences. I can’t count the times I’ve been skirting the edge of a cliff when God yanked me to safety with the hook on His staff.

He’s proved His love to me over and over. I’ve finally learned to check with Him before I make any rash choices. I still make dumb choices but I do a better job of hearing His warnings before I’m in too deep.

Remember all the times you’ve been rescued. All the times He’s protected you from yourself. Like David, you can find comfort in the Lord’s staff.

Photo credit Jesus as a Shepherd worldsundayschool.com
Photo credit Shepherd with rod: Biblical Hermenuetics
Photo credit Shepherd with staff: Bible Fun for Kids

When have you found comfort in God’s sovereignty in hard times?

When has He rescued you from the mess you created by your own choices?

The Seven Wonders of Psalm 23: Part One

 

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s same.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,  For you are with me;

Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare before me a table in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness will follow me all the days of my life,

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23

This passage has comforted broken hearts.

Soothed frazzled nerves.

Calmed panicked thoughts.

Given hope to the grieving.

It is David’s “Lord’s prayer.”

Many of us can quote it.

Perhaps we’ve read it a thousand times.

Do we experience its richness?

Have we ever feel the wonder David must have felt as he prayed these words?  

 

Psalm 23 is a description of David's close relationship with the Lord, and it expresses the choices he made to yield his life to Him.

 

David's walk with the Lord wasn't an accident, it was a walk full of choices. 

 

If we want an intimate relationship with God, we must make the same choices.   

This is the first of seven posts on this psalm of blessing - and the choices that bring us this blessing.

When has this psalm been a comfort to you?