CLOSE TO THE SHEPHERD

Psalm 23:1-3 AMPC 

The Lord is my Shepherd 

[to feed, guide, and shield me],

I shall not lack. 

He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; 

He leads me beside the still and restful waters. 

He refreshes and restores my life (my self); 

He leads me in the paths of righteousness 

[uprightness and right standing with Him—

not for my earning it, 

but] for His name’s sake.

When we read Psalm 23 we have a picture of someone who is staying close to the shepherd all the time. He’s very aware of all the Shepherd does for him and how totally dependent on Him he is. He’s on the alert listening for His Shepherd’s voice so He can follow Him. Sometimes we forget and we can be a bit like sheep who have a tendency to wander off without even realising it!🙂

1 Peter 2:25 NLT Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls. Thank God for Jesus who is our Good Shepherd. Our job now is to stay close to Him so we hear His voice, to follow Him wherever He leads us because we know He’ll only take us to the right places, and He’ll provide rest for our souls when they’re troubled. 

God ordained one day a week, to be a rest, because He designed us to need a day to recharge our batteries, just like He gives sleep at the end of each day. We all need a day to unwind, a day to draw closer to Him and worship Him, to find perspective when everything is trying to overwhelm us. He knows we need rest but He doesn’t force it on us.😊

If you’re feeling a bit stretched, frazzled or frayed at the edges, then maybe it would be a good time to draw aside for a while and spend time with the Good Shepherd and allow Him to minister His rest to your soul today and take advantage of the restoration He’s offering to each one of us in Jesus name. Amen.

Photo by Lukas Tennie on Unsplash