The Lord is My Shepherd

October 16, 2020
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

Psalm 23:1

The 23rd Psalm carries great meaning to us all. To some it is an encouraging prayer, comfort in a grueling battle, a soothing melody, or maybe it takes you back to your favorite Sunday school classroom as a child hearing the Word of God for the very first time. If we look carefully at the 23rd Psalm, we can see the omnipresent God all around us at every moment in our life. The Presence of Jesus Christ in the 23rd Psalm not only shows us what He does for us, but who He is to us as our Mighty Shepherd.

With us…

Jesus Christ, as our Shepherd, always keeps watch over us. As His sheep, we remain with Him and He with us. We are never left to fend for ourselves in this life, where danger lurks at every corner. Our Lord and Savior always abides Faithful, promising us that He will neither leave His sheep nor forsake them. Jesus is never so far away that we cannot hear His Voice, nor He hear our prayers. Through the valley of the shadow of death and every test of faith, we shall fear no evil. Jesus Christ will always be there with us to offer His comfort and strength. Our Shepherd is with us through it all, to lead us through every aspect of our daily living.

Before us…

The ideal position for the sheep is to allow the Shepherd to fight for them. Just because we know the devil is out there, never forget that we have Jesus Christ before us, who has overcome the world and the devil. Jesus carries the rod and staff of His Word, not only for our discipline and direction, but also our protection, which beats back all powers of darkness on our behalf. Throughout the Word of God, we are reminded how cared for we truly are, how deeply the Lord loves His sheep, and His Victory over all powers of darkness by His Blood at Calvary’s Cross. During it all, is a prepared table of a promised hope, perpetual peace, power in the Holy Spirit, abundant blessings, and an overflowing cup of joy in the presence of all that oppose us. The Shepherd does not wish that we just simply survive this life, but we conquer and overcome it.

Around us…

Jesus wishes to keep us moving forward in the paths of Righteousness; not in reverse or side to side. His Goodness provides the green pastures of rest beneath us, that allows us to never question or doubt the Salvation of our soul. The still waters on each side of us provide a calm refreshment for our heart and mind that keeps us in a perfect peace when our world goes into chaos. If we feel the itch to stray, His Mercy retrieves us when we wonder from the path of righteousness, helping us stay focused on the commands of The Shepherd. There is no looking back with the Jesus leading the way. We have come too far to look back. Our past mistakes and downfalls are put far behind us, allowing us to keep moving forward to a glorious future that our Shepherd has provided specifically for each of His sheep.

Beyond us…

“They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:16–17)

Beyond our days of divine mercy and goodness, we will dwell as one-fold, under one Shepherd, in the House of the Lord forever. No enemy shall enter the Heavenly fold. Separation from our friends and family in the fold will be no more. Our days of labor, trials, and sorrows will give way to fullness of joy, eternal rest, and continual thanksgiving in the presence of our Lord and Savior who lead us there. At long last, we will be home with the Lord forever.

Whatever the 23rd Psalm means to you, know that God loves you dearly. When you begin to truly embrace Jesus Christ as your Shepherd, you can begin to live in a holy confidence free from worry and fear. Know that you are cared for and protected in this life, as Jesus leads you to a forever home with Him in the great by and by.

Jared Gibson

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