TOPIC: THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD.
This is a Psalm of David who was a shepherd. He understood the special relationship and care a shepherd has with the sheep.
So he calls the Lord his shepherd as a beautiful illustration of his own personal relationship with God.
Ps 23(NIV)23 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 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. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
This relationship is deep because of the enormous quality of a shepherd.
A shepherd is trustworthy . Ps. 23:4 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.
He led and cared for them through the wilderness.
Ps 105:10-45(NLT)10 He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, and to the people of Israel as a never-ending covenant: 11 “I will give you the land of Canaan as your special possession.” 12 He said this when they were few in number, a tiny group of strangers in Canaan. 13 They wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another. 14 Yet he did not let anyone oppress them. He warned kings on their behalf: 15 “Do not touch my chosen people, and do not hurt my prophets.” 16 He called for a famine on the land of Canaan, cutting off its food supply. 17 Then he sent someone to Egypt ahead of them— Joseph, who was sold as a slave. 18 They bruised his feet with fetters and placed his neck in an iron collar. 19 Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph’s character. 20 Then Pharaoh sent for him and set him free; the ruler of the nation opened his prison door.21 Joseph was put in charge of all the king’s household; he became ruler over all the king’s possessions. 22 He could instruct the king’s aides as he pleased and teach the king’s advisers. 23 Then Israel arrived in Egypt; Jacob lived as a foreigner in the land of Ham. 24 And the Lord multiplied the people of Israel until they became too mighty for their enemies. 25 Then he turned the Egyptians against the Israelites, and they plotted against the Lord’s servants. 26 But the Lord sent his servant Moses, along with Aaron, whom he had chosen. 27 They performed miraculous signs among the Egyptians, and wonders in the land of Ham. 28 The Lord blanketed Egypt in darkness, for they had defied his commands to let his people go. 29 He turned their water into blood, poisoning all the fish. 30 Then frogs overran the land and even invaded the king’s bedrooms. 31 When the Lord spoke, flies descended on the Egyptians, and gnats swarmed across Egypt. 32 He sent them hail instead of rain, and lightning flashed over the land. 33 He ruined their grapevines and fig trees and shattered all the trees. 34 He spoke, and hordes of locusts came—young locusts beyond number.35 They ate up everything green in the land, destroying all the crops in their fields. 36 Then he killed the oldest son in each Egyptian home, the pride and joy of each family.37 The Lord brought his people out of Egypt, loaded with silver and gold; and not one among the tribes of Israel even stumbled. 38 Egypt was glad when they were gone, for they feared them greatly. 39 The Lord spread a cloud above them as a covering and gave them a great fire to light the darkness. 40 They asked for meat, and he sent them quail; he satisfied their hunger with manna—bread from heaven. 41 He split open a rock, and water gushed out to form a river through the dry wasteland. 42 For he remembered his sacred promise to his servant Abraham. 43 So he brought his people out of Egypt with joy, his chosen ones with rejoicing. 44 He gave his people the lands of pagan nations, and they harvested crops that others had planted. 45 All this happened so they would follow his decrees and obey his instructions.
Deut 32:10-12(NIV)10 In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, 11 like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on its pinions. 12 The Lord alone led him; no foreign god was with him.
The presence of the shepherd is a booster of divine assurance that God is with us.
The duty of shepherd was to keep their flock intact, protect them from their enemies.
John 10:11-18(NLT)11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. 12 A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. 13 The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, 15 just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd. 17 “The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life so I may take it back again. 18 No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”
A shepherd takes the bullet. He laid down his life for his sheep.
This gives us assurance and confidence in our fasting and prayer – 1 John 3:16(KJV)16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
John 15:13(KJV)Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
A shepherd provides and protect his flock – Ps 78:52-55(TLB)52 But he led forth his own people like a flock, guiding them safely through the wilderness. 53 He kept them safe, so they were not afraid. But the sea closed in upon their enemies and overwhelmed them. 54 He brought them to the border of his land of blessing, to this land of hills he made for them. 55 He drove out the nations occupying the land and gave each tribe of Israel its apportioned place as its home.
A Visionary shepherd – Isa 40:11(KJV) He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
I want us to get into prayer with this understanding that Jesus is our shepherd.
Most times we are looking for deeper revelation which will inspire us into God’s presence, but the deeper revelation of God is found in the simple word of God we read everyday. –“The Lord is my Shepherd”
God sees it as a responsibility to take care of us. He is not complaining – Ezek 34:11-16(NLT)11 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search and find my sheep. 12 I will be like a shepherd looking for his scattered flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day. 13 I will bring them back home to their own land of Israel from among the peoples and nations. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel and by the rivers and in all the places where people live. 14 Yes, I will give them good pastureland on the high hills of Israel. There they will lie down in pleasant places and feed in the lush pastures of the hills. 15 I myself will tend my sheep and give them a place to lie down in peace, says the Sovereign Lord. 16 I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak. But I will destroy those who are fat and powerful. I will feed them, yes—feed them justice!
He provided water from the rock – Ex 17:4-6(NLT)4 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What should I do with these people? They are ready to stone me!”5 The Lord said to Moses, “Walk out in front of the people. Take your staff, the one you used when you struck the water of the Nile, and call some of the elders of Israel to join you. 6 I will stand before you on the rock at Mount Sinai. Strike the rock, and water will come gushing out. Then the people will be able to drink.” So Moses struck the rock as he was told, and water gushed out as the elders looked on.
He did not allow the sun to harm them by day. Ps 121:5-6(NLT)The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. 6 The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night.
He bounds our wounds and carried them on his shoulder. – 1 Peter 2:24-25(NLT)24 He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. 25 Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.
He taught our mothers how to cuddle and feed us with milk from their breast.
Everyone of His creature has the same instinct.
The compassion of a shepherd – Matt 9:36(KJV)36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
Ps 8:4(NIV)4 what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?
In the state you are right now, tell me what you will ask God and He won’t do for you.
