The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Psalm 23:1-3
Most things and people are not what they seem or claim to be. Too often, people or things disappoint us because they cannot leave up to our expectations or cannot sustain their excellence. Nothing on earth can remain unchanged. No one is totally reliable. We all fall shall of the glory of God.
God is the only one who can be trusted and relied upon all of the time. Behold, he is unchangeable and immutable. There is no deception in God. He is everything he says he is. We can take him at his word and trust in his promises.
In today’s text, David declares that the Lord is his shepherd. A shepherd protects, leads, guides, and nourishes. Without the shepherd, the sheep cannot withstand the attacks of predators. A good shepherd ensures that the sheep lack no good thing. The wellbeing of the sheep is the shepherd’s priority. A good shepherd knows each sheep by name. The shepherd knows the personality of every sheep. The bond between a shepherd and his sheep is so strong that the shepherd would jeopardize his safety to protect the sheep.
As a young shepherd boy, David fought lions and bears to protect his sheep. He spent time on the field with his sheep. He understood the level of commitment it requires to be a good shepherd. This commentary from David speaks volumes about his perspective about who the Lord is. In times of need, David cried out to God because he knew who the Lord is.
Do you know who the Lord is? What adjectives would you use to describe the Lord? Whom has the Lord been to you and for you? Unfortunately, many people are not able to answer that question with confidence. Because they do not know for sure who the Lord is, they grow weary and lose faith in times of difficulty.
It is in times of hardship we will get to understand and appreciate just who the Lord is. I cannot tell anyone who God should be to him or her. Our experience of God is always personal and intimate. The Lord’s relationship with each of us is unique. He reveals himself differently to different people. However, the Lord is everything that we each need.
It can be challenging for some people to trust God to be what they need him to be. Often, our desires are not aligned with the will of God. Thus, when we do not get what we covet, we become dismayed, and we lose confidence in God.
During this season of social upheaval, the Lord is our peace. As our African American brothers and sisters continue to cry out for justice, the Lord is their righteousness. To the poor and downtrodden, the Lord is their provider and supplier. The Lord is a comforter to those that have lost loved ones. He is a deliverer to many who are unjustly imprisoned or living in any bondage.
When my enemies rise against me, the Lord is my stronghold. In times of scarcity, the Lord is my prosperity. When I am sick, the Lord is my healer. The Lord is indeed everything I need him to be. I am because the Lord is. Apart from God, I have no good thing. Because the Lord is, I have hope for tomorrow and joy in sorrow.
Prayer- Blessed Lord, thank you for being the Good Shepherd that never loses or forsakes any sheep. May we learn to trust you and look to you to be whom we need you to be.
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