The Good Shepherd

Psalm 23:1-6

1 The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
2 He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
3 He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
4 Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
5 You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.

Although I never had sheep growing up, I can understand what the Word is saying here in these passages. Verse 1 lets me know that the Lord will take care of me and I will have all that I need, not want.

The vision I have in verse 2 is when the cows we had growing up would lay down in the pasture was when they were full of the grass they had consumed. This tells me that the Lord will provide for me in a bountiful way that I do not need to consume everything he gives me and to stop when I am satisfied. When He leads me beside peacefule streams He is telling me that I should be at peace with Him and that He will not lead me into turbulent waters. He is the Prince of Peace not chaos and destruction.

If I allow Him to minister to me my strength is renewed as I follow His path for my life. Learning to listen to His voice and obeying His voice allow honor to go to whom it is do, which is not me and all on the Lord. For He is the one who directs me and guides me. If I tried to do this on my own then I might as well be blind and deaf because I would not be able to function properly.

Verse 4 used to trouble me somewhat. It wasn't until pondering this for a while that it finally made sense to me. The fact that I am going through a dark valley is probably due to my wanting to do something my way and not the Lord's way. Even though I may choose to do this He is saying to me that He will be close beside me and will protect and comfort me when I need it. Praise God for His faithfulness!

I love the ending of verse 5. Doesn't God know when our glass is full? Of course He does, but He is a God of the overflow. He has so much for us that He wants to get into our hands so that it can be used for His Kingdom that we can't take it all in and it overflows our lives. That is the idea that He has for us. He will provide so much for us that anything above and beyond our needs we will desire to sow it into His Kingdom.

I find the though of God's goodness and love pursuing me and interesting word picture. I vision a game of tag where God is wanting to be in relationship with me, Erik Vakula, so much that He will pursue me as long as I live. Why? Becuase He wants me to live in His house with Him forever. Praise God!

An important thing to remember is that God wants to have a relationship with you just as much as He wants one with me. The only way to be in relationship with Him is through His Son, Jesus. You must be willing to believe in Jesus work on the cross for your sins and confess it with your mouth to someone else and you too can be in relationship with the One who knows everything about you and still wants to be in relationship with you. There is nothing that you have done that surprises Him or is too bad that He can't forgive you for what you have done. When Jesus died on the cross He took and bore ALL your sins, including the ones you haven't commited yet. He took your sickness and your diseases upon Him and by the stipes on His back from the whips you ARE healed. Take the gifts He gives to you of total salvation and healing and walk in them as a child of the King. Own them and walk securely in them. Seek His Wisdom and He will give it to you richly and abundantly. Praise and glory belong to Jesus forever and ever! AMEN!