The Lord Is My Shepherd
David is the king now but he has not forgotten the formative journey to this place. In Psalm 23 he calls to memory the amazing truths he discovered about God. These words still have power to encourage us today. If you find yourself walking through darkness right now, I pray these words will encourage you.
The Lord is my Shepherd.
David was a shepherd and this analogy is very real to him. The flock under his watch were completely dependent upon him. Without his constant presence and care, they have no hope of survival. The sheep must learn his voice and follow it. In the same manner we must know and follow fully after the voice of the Lord. He is not just David's Shepherd, He is my Shepherd too.
I shall not want.
The Shepherd is my source of all things I will ever need. If I am always wanting more, I am not satisfied with His provision. I must crucify my wants and trust Him. God is my provider; He always has and will give me everything I need to get where He is leading me.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
Too often I want to make myself busy but the Shepherd knows I must rest. The path ahead will demand a lot of me. These moments of rest build the reserve of strength to complete the journey. My every place is determined by God, even my stops.
He leads me beside quiet waters.
The Shepherd is leading me, taking me to places of refreshing. Here I can drink freely but do not be mistake, the water is not my source, the Shepherd is.
He restores my soul.
The word restore means to "turn back" but not in the literal sense. I do not go back to where my journey began yet my inner strength is restored or made new again. It is not the green pasture and the water that restores me, it is the Shepherd Himself.
He guides me in the paths of righteousness.
This is not a journey with no destination and the final resting place is nowhere in this world. The green pastures and still waters simply help us to keep pressing on toward our higher calling. We are being led toward the righteousness of God and it is the Shepherd that guides me there. I cannot get there on my own.
For His name's sake.
My life is not my own, I owe everything to the Shepherd who is ever present with me. My story has a purpose set by God and for God. I am here to bring honour to His name.
