Hey Church!

To begin your weekend of preparation for Sunday morning, find a quiet place, silence distractions, and meditate again on Psalm 23.

 Psalm 23 (ESV)
The Lord Is My Shepherd
A Psalm of David.

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. 

The Bible is filled with rich metaphors that describe the character and work of God. As finite beings, our vocabulary and mental categories are absolutely incapable of comprehending the infinite. We understand Him best when He is described, as He is constantly throughout the whole of Scripture, in word pictures. He has been variously called a Rock, a Consuming Fire, the Door, the Way, the Truth, the Life, a Lion, a Lamb, and many other such names that are more or less relatable to us. But the nature of God’s relationship to us, His followers, is perhaps most magnified in the designation, “Shepherd,” as is the object of David’s contemplation throughout Psalm 23.

In 2007, Phillip Keller, being a former shepherd, wrote a profound reflection on Psalm 23 from the perspective of one who, like David, had an intimate knowledge of raising sheep. A Shepherd Looks at the 23rd Psalm truly brought David’s words to life for me and transformed the way I understand God as “shepherd” in the Bible. I highly recommend you check it out (CLICK HERE to link to Amazon).

As it turns out, we humans share a lot in common with sheep (and that’s not exactly a compliment). Sooner or later, you may learn that happiness in the Christian life truly belongs to those who humbly accept their sheep-ness and take comfort in the rod and staff of their shepherd. Sheep are notoriously obstinate creatures; they repeat the same harmful behaviors over and over again before slowly, if ever, learning their lesson. As such, it requires the shepherd’s meticulous attention and endless diligence to provide them with adequate pasture, water, leadership, protection, correction, and tender care for their well being. The most wonderful thing to consider, however, is that despite all of our wandering, blundering sheep-ness, Christ chose us, purchased us, made us His own, and brought us into his flock to flourish in contentment. And here’s the real kicker: He delights in caring for you.

When David wrote, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies,” he was referring to an elevated plateau. In order to avoid the potentially devastating impact of overgrazing their land, shepherds were always on the move with their flocks. To ensure the flock’s safety, he would never lead them anywhere he had not surveyed beforehand. Preparing that table, or plateau, involved days of hard labor. On hands and knees, he would uproot any poisonous flowers, create easy access to water, chase off or kill any nearby predators, and then cultivate, fertilize, and irrigate the ground. Only after the fruit of his tireless preparations had flourished would the shepherd lead his flock to graze there. And what do you suppose shepherds discovered was the safest and most merciful way for the sheep to get up the steep plateau? With the sound of his voice and gentle nudges from his staff, a good shepherd would lead his flock to higher ground by way of the mountain’s dark valley. 

This Sunday, we will have the overwhelming privilege of dining at the Table prepared before us by our owner, the Good Shepherd. As you eat and drink the elements of communion, let whatever is wandering and restless in your soul find deep contentment in the knowledge that your provider, defender, and most tender caretaker is close at hand. His eyes never close in sleep, his rod and staff are always at the ready, and everything He brings you through is for your good and His glory. He loves you more than you can even comprehend.