David understood his analogy of our life with God and a shepherd with his sheep far more than I ever will. David was a shepherd. He knew sheep and their tendencies. Though I have never been a shepherd, I do know what a mother does in caring for her children. This helps me understand more of the caring-giving aspect of our Heavenly Father. The difference is that our children, hopefully, learn and grow, not needing as much of our care. Sheep, however, always need care. They like to stay together, are compliant, and follow the crowd. They need guidance and protection from someone greater.

“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 mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23)

David immediately addresses the Lord in this psalm as his Shepherd. He begins knowing that he, like sheep, needs the guidance and protection of Someone greater. Because he knows God, he can call God his own. God is his Shepherd, and David knows that a shepherd provides all that sheep need

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God provides a place of comfort and rest. So often the cares of this world drain us. He provides a place where we can be refilled. Deuteronomy 33:12 describes the security of this rest. “Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders.” I love the idea of resting in that place of protection right between His shoulders. God provides a place we can rest until in His strength refills and renews us.

God leads and guides us through this life. We not only have the assurance that our life will end well because of the hope of eternity, but our life will go well, because God follows us all our days. God provides His Word and His Spirit as we walk our life journey. Even when we walk through dark times, we know the goodness of God, because He is walking right there beside us. He will never leave us or forsake us, but instead uses our journey to grow and strengthen us through His grace and power. His guidance leads us but also redirects us when we go the wrong way and make mistakes. In His grace, He lovingly brings us back and cares for us.

David begins the psalm with the statement “I shall not want.” His Shepherd is also our Shepherd. The same God who provides for our eternal needs provides for every need on this journey of life. As His sheep, we need to depend on the guidance and protection of our God who provides all that we need. He will never run dry but will always provide for His own. What comfort and assurance we have knowing that we do not have to go life alone. We have everything we need in One who will shepherd us with His mercy and goodness all of our days, until He takes us home to our eternal glory. There is tremendous security in that!

In His Love,

Susan