The LORD is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
Yea, 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 runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD
Forever. Psalm 23 (NKJV)
Psalm 23 is one of the most beloved psalms in the Bible. It’s one that I memorized as a child; I’ll bet most of you reading this blog have it tucked away in your mind as well. The Lord is surely a loving Shepherd and He daily takes care of us. You may believe that with your mind, but does your heart believe it?
I have chosen to believe God and His Word. But just so you know, I’ve had my doubts about our loving Shepherd and still battle them, even though He has proven Himself over and over again to me. Does He have to prove Himself to me or anyone? Absolutely not. Must I believe Him? Nope. Then why should I doubt when He makes Himself so evident in my life?
Those doubts entered my mind this past weekend. On Friday I experienced minor surgery with anesthesia. I was not overwhelmed with fear, but I did struggle with uneasiness about the whole procedure. Yet all week long, my daily devotions spoke of the good Shepherd and His willingness to always take care of us. Tuesday afternoon during my pre-opt with my doctor, my Shepherd declared his devotion to me, and once again, His faithfulness stirred my soul.
God and I have a language called “butterfly”. For as long as I can remember, God’s creation always pronounced His presence to me. His spectacular butterflies loudly express His attentiveness to me. When my dad died, God “fluttered by” and soothed my hurting heart. When my daughter was a prodigal, God fluttered by with words of comfort. When dealing with physical aches and pains, God fluttered by with strength for my body. And in this frigid winter inside my doctor’s office, God’s faithfulness fluttered by in the form of fifteen paper butterflies hanging from the ceiling. He also demonstrated His concern for me through the love from my family. What amazing grace!
Thank you, Jesus, for taking care of me. Forgive me for doubting your love. Help me to be as committed to You as You are to me. I praise you, loving Shepherd.
Hear Him speak to YOU:
I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. John 10:14
As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day. Ezekiel 34:12 (also for our prodigals)
Thus they shall know that I, the LORD their God, am with them, and they, the house of Israel, are My people,” says the Lord GOD.“You are My flock, the flock of My pasture; you are (wo)men, and I am your God,” says the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 34:30-31
THE LORD IS OUR LOVING SHEPHERD!