Psalm 23:1

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Psalm 23:1

David, as a former shepherd himself, loved the concept of the Lord being His Shepherd and he being one of God’s sheep.  It was a job with tremendous responsibility, often a family’s assets was tied to these helpless creatures. They needed 24 hours-a-day care and attention through all kinds of weather, along with protection from an assortment of deadly foes. A good shepherd had to be devoted to his sheep because their lives depended upon him, even though they were neither thankful or faithful. It was a difficult, sacrificial job.

It is no wonder that God uses that very picture here and throughout the Bible to relate His care for us as His sheep and our tremendous need for Him to be our Shepherd. The Shepherd has a flock that belongs to Him and it was that flock that He was to protect, to tend, to care for and lead to pasture, and to wash and direct and be with constantly. A sheep has only one defense mechanism: to run. They absolutely depended upon the shepherd for their very life. Sheep cannot forage for food. Left in a field, he will graze it down to the dirt and then lay down and die. He depends on the shepherd for green pastures because he has no ability or desire to go find them on his own. We could go on and on with these parallel lessons but you get the picture.  We are His sheep and He is our Shepherd! Great to know!

One happy sheep!

Pastor Jack Abeelen