My Shepherd
March 27, 2019·Desiree Wilson
Psalm 23 —
“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. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely Your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
As I read Psalm 23 this week, my heart was flooded with peace. While many of us have probably read this passage before, I wonder how many would say we live with a constant awareness of the truths described. I realized my soul needed refreshing and I needed to remember that God is my Shepherd.
God is MY Shepherd, I lack nothing. Notice the word “my.” It’s important to note that God is a Shepherd to each one of us, individually. He has everything we need and looks after us. We can rest, knowing He holds us and carries us through everything we face. The One who knows you and sees every detail of your life, is your Shepherd. When we fully accept this truth, we too can say we lack nothing. God has everything we need, and He will guide us and sustain us.
He brings peace and refreshes our soul. Often, when we face issues, it can be so easy to turn to people, material things or distractions to try to solve or avoid problems. But we must remember, God is the one who brings ultimate peace, rest and refreshing to our souls. We must stand against fear and anxiety, and declare His peace and rest over our lives.
In the darkness, we can walk without fear, because the God of the universe is WITH us. Let that really sink in to your heart and your mind. God is with us. Everywhere you go, He is there; no matter how low a valley you may find yourself in, He is there. He never leaves your side. This truth is so important to our relationship with God. He is not far away from you, He is right there, and He longs for us to walk with Him and rely on Him. We don’t have to be afraid. He leads us, guides us and comforts us. God desires that we truly live free from the power of fear. I’ve personally struggled with fear for a long time. And I know God has been calling me to fix my eyes on Him, instead of the problems around me. When I acknowledge His presence and give my cares to Him, I experience the blessing of the peace that comes when I rest in His arms and trust that He will take care of everything. He is my Shepherd. There is no place for fear in His loving embrace. He desires that we stay in His arms and rest there, knowing He is greater and more powerful than anything we face. He can, and will, bring light to the darkness. He is the one who fights our battles.
God provides for us. Often, we look at this statement and associate it with material blessings. But the spiritual blessings God pours out on us, strengthen us on a deeper level than any material blessing. God anoints our head with oil and causes our cup to overflow. As a child of God, He has set you apart and has a specific plan and purpose for your life. When God blesses you, He doesn’t fill your cup halfway, He fills it until it overflows. The spiritual blessings God longs to pour out on us, far outweigh the worth of material blessings.
God’s goodness and love follow us. What a beautiful gift. God is faithful to be with us at all times, and He surrounds us with His unconditional love and goodness. People will hurt us and let us down. But God will always be good to us and love us unconditionally. Even when we don’t deserve it. No matter what you’ve done, God’s forgiveness is for you. His love is for you. His goodness is for you. His peace is for you. His freedom is for you. All we have to do is accept Him and let Him be the Shepherd of our lives. Allowing Him to lead us, guide us, care for us, refresh us, carry us, fight for us, provide for us, bless us and love us.
Pastor Desiree Wilson
