TO CHEW ON: "The Lord is my shepherd..." Psalm 23:1
The beautiful Psalm 23 picture of the Lord as our shepherd is fulfilled in Jesus. He is:
The Good Shepherd
In John, Jesus is the One who gives His life for His sheep, knows His sheep and is known by them. They hear His voice and follow Him. He gives them eternal life and they will never perish. No one can take them out of His hand - John 10:11-28.
The Resurrected Shepherd
In Hebrews the resurrected Jesus is pictured as the shepherd who has the power to work in us the life that pleases Him (the sanctified life). "Now may the God of peace, who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep...make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight..." - Hebrews 13:20-21.
The Returning Chief Shepherd
In 1 Peter Jesus is the shepherd who returns to give us our reward -"And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away" - 1 Peter 5:4.
All this shepherd talk is most comforting and reassuring — unless we'd rather not be shepherded. In our individualistic society, where we're encouraged to set our own goals and live by our own lights and standards, the picture of being a sheep, directed by a shepherd is hardly appealing. For though a shepherd gives security to the sheep, he also sets limits. The sheep can't just wander off wherever they like, but must follow him, coming in and going out when he says it's time to do so. Going to the pasture he chooses. Getting pulled back from places that look interesting but that he knows will prove to be dangerous.
Are we willing to be shepherded by Jesus today? To go in and out, here and there according to His agenda? To take advantage of this offer of God-care that goes all through life and into eternity?
PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for this beautiful picture of You as my shepherd. Help me to be a proper sheep, leadable and compliant to Your direction. Amen.
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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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