Women’s Ministry Minute
Phyllis Larr
April 23, 2020
The Lord is My Shepherd
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Do you have special memories that you remember when you read Ps 23?
David begins the Psalm - “The Lord is my Shepherd.” Shepherd is one way to illustrate God’s character. There are many verses that describe who God is. Do a word search with “The Lord is my“ and you find:
Ps 16:5 The Lord is my portion
Ps 18:2 The Lord is my Rock
Ps 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation
Ps 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield
Think about the word “my” just as the other scriptures state; He is my portion, my rock, my light and so forth. The scriptures are telling me that the Lord is mine. It is personal. I love that! Who is God personally to you? David talks about God as if He belonged to him and he belonged to God. The relationship is personal, intimate, safe and permanent . Do you talk as if God belongs to you and you to Him?
Have you noticed in this Psalm how David shifts from talking about His Shepherd to talking to His Shepherd?
Sometimes our lives can feel lonely. As we are sheltered at home right now we don’t have the contact with people the way we would like. We can feel alone. We may feel anxious, depressed or confused . If you are like me, you have your valley that can make you feel alone. Regardless of your situation, the Shepherd knows and is fully present with you. We are not alone. He is our very own. Is there an area of your life where your feel like your in a valley alone? Sit with God your Shepherd and tell Him.
When David wrote Ps 23 he knew what it meant to have the character and nature of a shepherd for David had been a shepherd himself. He knew what it meant to have early mornings, watching the sheep all day alone, making sure no one gets lost. If a sheep wandered off or got lost, David diligently looked for the sheep. The Lord is your Shepherd who leads, provides and protects you. He will look for you if you wander off.
We have a few things in common with the sheep. Sheep go astray. It is our nature to wonder off. No matter how far we stray, God will bring us back and restore us to His side.
Sheep need guidance. We need God to be the GPS ( God Positioning System) in our lives. Pray Psalms 25:4-5 & Psalms 143:8-10. The Shepherd will lead you.
Sheep are vulnerable. We have times we feel unsafe and need protection. When praying Psalms 71, we can be assured God has our back and alway will.
Sheep are valuable. We can feel overlooked and under valued. The is not how your Shepherd sees you. Read Psalms 139 to refresh your view.
Sheep learn to associate the shepherd with their needs being met. The shepherd becomes their focus. They “shall not be in want” because their shepherd is with them. It is the same with us. We shall not want because we have a Shepherd who is always with us.
Thank God today for being your Shepherd who meets all of your needs.