MY SHEPHERD
Psalm 23:1-4
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. 4 Yea, 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.
Over 35 years ago I was guiding on a piece of property in NW Colorado that had domestic sheep on it each summer and fall. The shepherds in that area were mainly from South and Central America. They spoke little to no English at all. They would politely wave and nod, but they never stopped us or tried to communicate with us.
One day, after chasing elk around the back of the 6000 acres we leased, I was walking past the small hut on wheels, that one shepherd was living in and noticed a very big set of shed mule deer antlers on top of the hut. I stopped and through hand gestures and an open wallet I let the shepherd know I would like to buy the antlers.
We cut a deal and off I went, but while I was there I noticed that these shepherds were there for one reason and one reason only, to protect their sheep. They did not have anything, there on the mountain, that would distract them from their one and only job. Their total existence was centered on that one thing, protecting the sheep.
Verse one above is probably recited more than any other verse in the Bible... "The Lord is my shepherd"... The Lord is always there, always watching over us, always protecting His sheep, His people.
Later in verse 6 David wrote, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
The word we translate as "follow", is the Hebrew word "radap." It means: "to pursue or chase down." So, God's goodness and mercy are not just hanging around following us. They are actively pursuing us. We are always within the reach of God's goodness and Mercy.
So we know that our God is our Shepherd, totally devoting Himself to our well being and His Goodness and Mercy are right there with us always. Like an umbrella protecting us from all that would attempt to harm or overtake us. Are we living like we have this protection, these promises?
We have the God of all creation pursuing our safety, well being and comfort. In and through Him we can do all things. Why do we fear anything? Why do we back off from living out anything we feel called to? What are we afraid of?
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want"
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