Jehovah Rohi – The Lord is my Shepherd

""Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need" (Psalms 23:1- Living Bible)

When David (one of my favourite messer-uppers!) – yet a man after Gods own heart who would do 'his will' (Acts 13:22), wrote Psalm 23 he knew that shepherds were responsible for EVERYTHING - good pasture, still water (sheep are afraid of running noisy streams), care, discipline, and protection from every type of danger. When we see the Lord as our Shepherd, he will lead us, feed us, bring judgment, and keep us from folly. He is our close and intimate companion and friend, God wants to be that intimate in his relationship with us - a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

After a recent Sunday service 2 words of knowledge had spoken to my heart, one was 'the colour purple' the other was 'a sheep who gets tempted to stray', although I had prayer for two separate issues, God made me laugh at my wilfulness at times, by giving me an image of a dithering purple sheep!. At each step of my journey these days I have to surrender 'my will' to 'his will' and being a stubborn ewe it can be painful at times, but I don't know what is good for me that's why I need to trust my guide, the shepherd of my soul, not to give me everything I want, but everything he knows I need.

Many of us have grown weary of finding our own way. For too long we have blundered through the darkness and stumbled over every obstacle. We have learned the hard way but God wants us to know 'his will' for us. Jesus said of himself: "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep" John 10:11 and "I know my sheep and they know me." John 10:14 [NIV]

Why is Psalm 23 and Jesus' words from Johns' Gospel so comforting, so reassuring? Because we each have a deep need in our heart to feel safe. Most of us can remember a feeling of safety as small children but as we grew we lost that sense of innocence. Things happened and we gradually realized the precariousness of life. A more cynical (or some would say realistic) view of life took the place of our naiveté. Is there any way to go back to that place? The Lord knows what we long for because he created us and understands our nature better than we understand ourselves. Recognizing our deep need, he "will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick"
Ezekiel 34:16[NIV] - That's a promise!

It appears I have progressed from an original black sheep to a purple one! This work in progress is aiming towards white….....… "And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away" 1 Peter 5:4 [NIV]…….Oh give me grace to follow, my master and my friend.

Dawn Leverton, 07/10/2008

Feedback:

		Margaret Dye	07/10/2008 08:42
I love your Devotionals,Dawn and having been a shepherd I particularly enjoyed this one and can always relate to the Lord in this way. I know my desire for my sheep was to keep them absolutely safe and provided for in every way. Although they all looked the same to everyone else, I knew each one individually and I could tell at a glance if anything was wrong with them. I only had to speak - where they would ignore, stand and stare or run away from everyone else, they would run to me at the sound of my voice. I was their shepherd and I knew them intimately. I hadn't committed my life to Christ in the early days of being a shepherd but I believed in God and many times in the early morning dew, I drew a parallel between my care of my sheep and God's care for me. I have since come to know how much greater and more perfect is God's love and provision for me. Thank you for this reminder.