The Lord Is My Shepherd

It’s lambing season.  Those new young lambs are so cute … cute enough to even make the evening news here recently.

That had me thinking about these familiar words that I love to think about often, repeat them to myself, and just reflect on all they tell me.

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need  He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams.  He renews my strength.  He guides me along right paths, bringing honour to his name. 

Psalm 23:1-3 NLT

While these are not the traditional words of Psalm 23 they do highlight for me, and hopefully for all of us, some important things to consider. 

Let’s consider just the first few words because each is so significant. 

The Lord Is My Shepherd.

The LORD …  God is the one who is in charge of the past, the present, and the future.  God created the heavens and the earth.  God created me.  God is watching over each moment of my day.  This is the LORD who is my shepherd.

The Lord IS my shepherd. 

IS … A tiny word but an important point of consideration for all of us.  Is the Lord MY shepherd today? 

It’s not important enough to know that Jesus is Lord or even that He offers to shepherd us in loving and generous ways.  We have to ask ourselves is Jesus MY shepherd today?  Have I opened my life to Him?  Am I following His voice, His direction?

The Lord is MY shepherd … that can make our hearts rejoice and put a smile on our face.  God isn’t just caring for a whole bunch of people and we’re somewhere in that herd.  There’s something very personal that is alive in us when we affirm that The Lord is MY shepherd.

The Lord is my SHEPHERD ….  It’s the shepherd’s job to provide for all the necessities of the sheep as they keep themselves in his care.  The shepherd knows where food and water and safe resting places are.  The shepherd provides protection in the dark and a change of direction when we are going the wrong way that won’t actually take us to still waters and green pastures.

Oh Lord, we want You to be our shepherd.  We can’t navigate these days on our own.  We sometimes are sheep that wander but help us to turn back and surrender to You, here and now, because we need You, more desperately than we even know.  Be our shepherd today we pray.  Amen