Psalm 23… A favorite for many, but never mine in the past. It always made me think of funerals and those were dread-worthy. Every little memento from a memorial service had the deceased’s picture on the front with date of birth and death and “The Lord is my Shepherd” printed on the back.
That was before, but time’s march forward and more serious and difficult trials under my belt with the prospect of more to come, growth in Christ and the longing to see Him face-to-face have changed my perspective on this little gem from the Scriptures.
I’ve read and heard much about the stupidity of sheep. The other day a study leader was commenting on this very thing as he explained that goats are much smarter than sheep. In slaughterhouses, goats have been trained to literally lead the herded sheep to their place of death. When a goat has done its job, it steps aside as the foolish sheep meet their fate, and it returns to lead another bunch of unsuspecting woolly beasts to their demise.
How appropriate are the Scriptures when they liken us to sheep. Prone to wander we certainly are, scattering without a shepherd, but as believers, we are led by a Shepherd, not to death but to life—to a place, not of deprivation, but where our needs are met, where our longings are transformed to align with His desires for us, where He accompanies us in every venue of life, and promises to give us rest and tranquility, not from the trials of life, but for our souls.
The happiest sheep are those that are grazing and relaxing in green meadows, those that are ambling beside still waters, not resting in any false sufficiency of their own, but resting in the assurance that the Shepherd is close by. Content sheep are not curious wanderers, not those looking at a yonder field of weeds thinking it is luscious grass, not those seeing water from afar, only to approach it and find turbulent rapids seeking to destroy, not those sheep who hear a strange, yet alluring voice, leading them on to forbidden places of danger to the detriment of their souls.
If we are true sheep and not imposters, the Shepherd refuses to lose track of us. He is ever watching, watching, never letting us get too far from the flock, always seeing, though not always seen. He leads in paths of righteousness, the places in our hearts which please Him, as we are obedient to His Word.
When the hard things come to us, even the specter of possible death, the Shepherd is with us, relieving anxieties and tremblings. We feel His rod of correction in our hearts when we tend to stray, His shepherd’s crook around our necks returning us to His presence and safety. He is a good shepherd, giving us no cause to fear, unlike the hireling who has no vested interested in the sheep. When a wolf comes, he turns tail and runs, afraid for his own life, leaving the lambs to scatter and face peril. Our Shepherd is ever present, facing the lurking bear and wolf and lion, calling out our names with that lovely, familiar voice, calling us to the safety of His arms, never leaving us to scatter or be devoured.
All the enemies of our souls sit there, watching, powerless, as we dine from the sumptuous bounty this great Shepherd has lovingly prepared for us from the Word, the Bread of Life. He blesses us in superlatives called goodness and mercy, and this chief Shepherd will grant His blood-bought sheep a crown of glory that never fades away as we shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Dear sister, we would spare ourselves so much grief if we would refuse to tire of His voice, His call on our lives, His safe-keeping, His rest, His shade, His thirst-quenching water, His feast, even His chastening. It is in Him and Him alone where we find the tranquility of heart we so crave. Don’t resist His embrace.
Love in the Truth,
Cherry