Our Reading: Psalm 23 and John 10:11-18

This Psalm is one of the most well known and recited of all of the Psalms. It’s a beautiful, comforting depiction of being cared for as a good shepherd would care for one of his cherished sheep. Even as a child, I didn’t understand all of the references but I still understood the importance of being able to trust the Good Shepherd, Jesus. As an adult, the Psalm has taken on even deeper meaning as I have learned more about the care of sheep. 

Perhaps you are familiar with these aspects of shepherding or perhaps you too will learn some interesting things about fluffy, dependent sheep. 

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: Sheep easily panick. A calming technique used by shepherds is to gently force the sheep to  lay down. This helps to comfort them  and refocus them to feed quietly on the grass.

He leadeth me beside the still waters. Sheep are afraid of running water. Shepherds will often use rocks, etc. to create a little pool of quiet standing water and then the sheep will drink. 

He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  Sheep are flock animals but can also be prone to wandering and the shepherd will have to find them and bring them back to the fold. He will even carry them back if they can not walk on their own.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death: I will fear no evil, for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.  The shepherd was equipped to protect his sheep. Common tools included a rod or club used as a weapon to defend the sheep from predators. He also carried a staff with a crook that would hook around a sheep’s neck or limb to nudge and guide it away from danger. He would personally lead them through new and dangerous terrain as he moved them from one grazing area to another. 

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Tables in biblical times could refer to the grassy field areas, known as mesas where sheep would graze. The shepherd would inspect the fields for danger before allowing the sheep to graze there.

Thou anointest my head with oil: Shepherds would place oil on the sheep for protection from various insects and skin conditions they were prone to. 

With the Good Shepherd, Jesus, watching over us, protecting us, comforting us, and restoring us, we are provided with an abundant life. If you are one of His sheep you can say:

My cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.

Reflection: 

1. The most important question of your life: Do you have a Good Shepherd? Are you part of the Savior’s cherished flock? 
2. Are you prone to wander off on your own in search of “greener pastures”?
3. Do you trust and find comfort in the guidance and protection of the Good Shepherd when you must enter those dark valleys of life?
4. Have you given thanks today for the abundant blessings of His love, His mercy, His protection and His provision in your life?

Prayer: We thank you for being such a Good Shepherd to us. You gently lead us and guide us. You protect us from dangers and from the enemy who lays in wait to ensnare and harm us. You know how to calm us when we are afraid and anxious. You love us enough to go after us when we lose our way and wander. You provide our every need and even more than we need. Thank you that you cause our cup to overflow with your abundant blessings. 

When we know our Pastor, we can surely trust Him with our lives and our needs. This is when we can find peace and rest for our weary hearts (minds).

David as a former shepherd can express in Psalm 23 how a pastor cares for his sheep, and also how he personally experienced the loving care of his Heavenly Pastor:

“He looks for a place of rest and refreshment for his sheep.” “…sheep do not lie down easily and will not unless four conditions are met. Because they are timid, they will not lie down if they are afraid… Rest comes because the shepherd has dealt with fear, friction -among them-, flies, and famine.” (Philip Keller -A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23)

“…whereas the shepherd lives with his flock and is everything to it: guide, physician and protector.” (Kidner)”

 

This is how our Heavenly Pastor deals with us, too. His blessings redeem the days of our affliction, fears, insecurities, etc. When we look back over our past, we can realize how His precious love has covered and healed the painful experiences. For: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).

We cannot find peace and rest in mind and heart until we have poured out all that troubles us: the guilt, the shame, the bitterness, the pride, etc.

Our God not only heals us, but He forgives our sins. There in our quiet place with Him we can find the food that satisfies –His Word- and when our souls cry out: 

“As the deer pants [longingly] for the water brooks, So my [a]soul pants [longingly] for You, O God. 2 My soul (my life, my inner self) thirsts for God, for the living God.
When will I come and see the face of God? (Psalm 42:1-2 AMP) 

He will quench our thirst from the cool, still waters of His Holy Spirit! And by these blessings to which the great Shepherd leads us, we will find our souls restored; our whole being invigorated, and our spiritual life reborn.

Challenge: Meditate and bring to memory a time or season in your life when your Heavenly Pastor brought you out of an affliction, to lie you down in the stillness of His Peace. Can you trust that He is Able to do this for you again? Write this on you journal as you write down the Bible verse(s) to help you stand firm on this Promise.

Blessings,

Mari

Saturday, April 20, 2019

1 Peter 2:25

This Psalm is, without a doubt, the most well known and beloved of all the Psalms. Most of us can probably recite it from memory simply because we’ve heard it recited so often, but there's an important message here The Lord wants to instill in our hearts that may become over looked because the words are so familiar to us. So, I pray you’ll pause for just a few minutes today while we break down what is written and think about His message to us found in Psalm 23,

"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 leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 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 a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:1-6
"The Lord is my shepherd," v.1a - He leads us, guides us, and is always with us, always watching over us! We are kept safe under His protective care. In David’s time, shepherds had a special relationship with their flocks. They spent every day with their sheep, guiding, protecting them from danger, and going after any that went astray. To the sheep, the shepherd was a constant companion, to the extent that the animals actually grew to recognize his voice and responded to his call. Now think for a moment if this could be said about you and your relationship with our Shepherd?

“I shall not want.” v.1b – because He is Jehovah-Jireh: the Lord our Provider. If God provided so much through Jesus to meet our spiritual needs, just think what He will do to provide for our physical needs each day! As the sheep entered the sheepfolds of the Middle East, they each had to pass under the shepherd’s rod for him to inspect their condition up close. The shepherd would then tend to any obvious needs one by one. Of course, we’re talking needs and not wants, but all this made me think of what is written in Psalm 84:11, “For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.”

"He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters,”- v.2 – aaah, and then there is peace, for He is Jehovah-Shalom: God our Peace! Is there anything that is disquieting your spirit and robbing you of your peace just now? Run to Him and seek those quiet moments so that He can quiet your soul once more.

He restores my soul..." v.2-3 - He knows where true rest and blessings are found, and will leads us there. He will restore, refresh and bring peace to our soul once more. In these days and times it seems so many are seeking peace, yet they are looking for it in all the wrong ways! Only Jehovah-Rapha: The Lord our Healer can bring the healing, restoration and the everlasting peace others are seeking.

"He guides me in paths of righteousness" v. 3 - He leads us to walk in His ways, for He is Jehovah-Tsidkenu: The Lord our Righteousness, who will draw us close and bid us to follow Him.

“for his name's sake." v. 3- Did you catch that? “For HIS name’s sake.” He is Jehovah-M’Kaddesh. His name is holy and He promises to lead us in the right ways and to make us holy not for our sake, but His. Often, I’m beating myself up, because I’ve failed to measure up once more, which is why I take great comfort in knowing He takes full responsibility and has promised to get me where He promises when He says, “I the Lord alone am holy, and I make you holy because you are called by my holy name.”

"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." v. 4 - Life is uncertain and we may at some point suffer with illnesses, loss, or pain if we haven’t already.  But He promises He is Jehovah-Shammah: The God who is there with all mercy, comfort, and grace. He is our Lord who holds ALL power over death and disease and walks besides us ALWAYS! He is the only One who will take us by the hand through our deepest, darkest moments of suffering, and bring freedom and healing from the pains of this life, straight into glory that He has reserved for us. We never have to fear, for He is with us to be our constant strength and Shepherd.


"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows." v. 5 - We have a place reserved for us at His table, He has made room for us, and wants us to stay close to Him. Throughout history, hosts were expected to protect their guests at all costs. Did you know are kept in the palm of His hand and nothing can reach us there unless He permits it? In the midst of all the craziness of this world, we can find security resting in His care. This doesn't mean that we won't ever face adversity, but with the help of His Spirit and power we will also be able to experience victories and even blessings through it all.

"Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." v. 6 - That word, "follow" means "to chase after, to pursue." We can be assured; He is chasing after us today, and all our days, with His goodness, love and mercy. Isn't that amazing? Us? And even at the end of our lives here on this earth, He has even greater things for us in store, far greater than we could even imagine!

(Selah! He is so worthy of all we can give back to Him today! I pray you'll take just a moment or two to just worship Him today!)

Blessings!

 

Saturday, April 28, 2018



Welcome to Scripture Saturday!

This coming week's memory verses are Psalm 23:1-3. Initially I had scheduled just verse 2  to memorize, but how could I not include the other verses in the stanza? 

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 leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. (ESV)

Have a blessed and precious day and week everyone!