“The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I 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 have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” {Psalm 23}
For me, this Psalm NEVER gets old. The more I read it, the more revelation the Lord gives me. That’s what it means when He says His Word is living and active. Every season we go through, He can bring a fresh promise that applies to it.
I sure do need that reminder in the season that I am in. Everywhere I turn these days, there is something around me changing. Honestly, I am not one for change, but here it is surrounding me. So much of my life feels unsteady. The older I get, the more I am learning to embrace change. That is most assuredly a work of the Holy Spirit. But, it’s also an admonition that Jesus is my Shepherd. The verb definition of the word Shepherd means to tend, guide, and instruct. Jesus does this and infinitely more.
In times of transition, I desperately need to remember the characteristics of a good shepherd. I need to know that the weight of my circumstance doesn’t rest on my shoulders. After all, I am not God. Sometimes I forget that. Sometimes I think I know better. Sometimes I think my plans are perfect. And sometimes I think I can fix everything.
Psalm 23 beautifully lays out a picture of how Jesus shepherds us.
All that we need and want is found in ALL that Christ is and ALL that He promises to be. He knows what we need better than we do. That won’t ever change. His ways will always be higher. He quiets us with his voice like a good shepherd does. He nourishes our bodies with green pastures and living water. He brings stillness to heavy hearts and weary souls.
Restoration comes when we let Christ do the work and we simply rest in Him.
Good shepherds are guides. They lead by example. They pave the way for those who have no direction. Jesus sheds light on our dark places with His truth and ushers us into our next place of purpose.
His instruction brings comfort. Sometimes it’s difficult to understand how God corrects those He loves. But that is what good shepherds do. They bring correction in the context of love. Often that correction and instruction can bring clarity to our situations.
The Lord’s instruction prepares us to carry His anointing in the midst of uncertainty.
Know that the shift in your life is not too much for God to handle. He longs to meet you in the middle with His grace, kindness, and compassion. He joyfully wants to meet your every need. He is indeed enough and more than enough.
If you are in a season of change, in what ways do you need God to meet you? I’d love to pray for you!
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