PSALM 23
One sheep went off a cliff in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2005, and then nearly 1,500 others did likewise! About one-third of them eventually died. Sheep follow other sheep in the herd aimlessly since they don’t know which way to go.
Sheep are the best word picture to describe the need for a reliable leader in our society. Isaiah said that we are all like sheep (Isaiah 53:6). We have a tendency to go our own way, yet we badly need a shepherd’s clear guidance.
The trustworthy nature of our Good Shepherd is described in Psalm 23. He looks out for us in verse 1, meets our physical needs in verse 2, teaches us how to live a holy life in verse 3, restores us, comforts us, heals us, and abundantly blesses us in verses 3–5, and so on.
What a relief to know that God guides us firmly but lovingly! He accomplishes this by having us listen to the Holy Spirit’s prompting, reading His Word, and praying. The reliable leader we require is God.
We might use the psalmist’s words to express our recognition of our reliance on the Lord: “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.”
The Shepherd who lives to lead us is the Lamb who gave His life to save us.
🙏Jesus, lead us.
Reference:
The Guardian
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2005/jul/09/1
Accessed November 17, 2022
