Anyone out there feel completely free from the pressures of life? Probably not, life has a way of challenging all of us at one time or another. Loss of a loved one, financial worries, taking on new responsibilities, not feeling equal to a task, injuries, fear of failure, etcetera: so many things in life take a toll on our feelings of self-worth.
It’s easy to get caught up in events and forget the good shepherd. “I am the good shepherd… (John 10:11).” “But he was wounded for our transgressions…with his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).” “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want (Psalm 23:1).”
It’s the opening of the 23rd Psalm, probably the most memorized scripture in the Bible. The Lord (God) ‘is’ my shepherd. Not was or will be. The present tense means that the meaning of the sentence is alive and active. God is there and waiting to be called on.
Pray, pray, pray. He is there for you. He is the still small voice (I Kings 19:12,13). Elijah was fleeing Jezebel in fear for his life. He was scared witless. So much so that he asked God to take his life. An angel visited and told him to eat. He did and laid down again. The angel came back again and told him to eat which he did.
Forty days and nights he journeyed and came to the mount of God and there he waited for word from God. God said, “What are you doing here?” Poor old Elijah was so beaten down and felt so defeated that he thought all was lost. God restored him and sent Elijah on his way (I Kings 19:15).
God is the Good Shepherd. He restored Elijah and does the same for us. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters (Psalm 23:1,2).” Just ask.
It’s easy to get caught up in events and forget the good shepherd. “I am the good shepherd… (John 10:11).” “But he was wounded for our transgressions…with his stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).” “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want (Psalm 23:1).”
It’s the opening of the 23rd Psalm, probably the most memorized scripture in the Bible. The Lord (God) ‘is’ my shepherd. Not was or will be. The present tense means that the meaning of the sentence is alive and active. God is there and waiting to be called on.
Pray, pray, pray. He is there for you. He is the still small voice (I Kings 19:12,13). Elijah was fleeing Jezebel in fear for his life. He was scared witless. So much so that he asked God to take his life. An angel visited and told him to eat. He did and laid down again. The angel came back again and told him to eat which he did.
Forty days and nights he journeyed and came to the mount of God and there he waited for word from God. God said, “What are you doing here?” Poor old Elijah was so beaten down and felt so defeated that he thought all was lost. God restored him and sent Elijah on his way (I Kings 19:15).
God is the Good Shepherd. He restored Elijah and does the same for us. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters (Psalm 23:1,2).” Just ask.
