The Lord is My Shepherd

As we drive around India I often see shepherds leading their flocks of sheep through out the countryside much as they must have been doing when Jesus walked among us.  It seems strange to realise that for more then 2000 years through political upheaval, wars, poverty, and sickness shepherds have walked this land and tended their sheep.   

Many of us who have grown up in busy cities have lost the understanding of life on the land, day to day, hand to mouth.  The shepherds must find food and water and rest for the sheep each day, they depend on what is around them to exist, when the rain comes there is the risk of flooding and no food or safe water, when the rain does not come, there is draught and no food or water.  Yet they continue to provide for the sheep leading them to where ever they can find food and water and rest. The sheep would die without the shepherd, they are not able to manage on their own.  They depend on the shepherd for life. 

We like lost sheep have gone astray. We don't know what dependence is. We have forgotten we need the shepherd.

For much of my life, I lived with the lie that I was in control of what happened to me and that I could handle whatever came on my own.  I just would do whatever I needed to do and that was that.  Life was hard and empty and a constant fight to get to whatever I was supposed to do next.  The more I looked in to myself the less I saw of what was around me and the more lonely and hard I became.  We are meant to be dependant.  God created us to need Him and His desire is to shepherd us, to meet our needs. 

When I became a Christian that began to change, but it is a process. Being in India has pulled me much further from my "control zone".  I have not been able to just do things and push through, God has forced me to look beyond myself more and more and to understand to a greater degree not only that He is in charge but also that He is my shepherd. He knows that I am one of the sheep who really can't manage on their own. 

When the opportunity to go to a conference in Bali Indonesia came up for me I struggled with whether or not I should go.  I prayed and sought the advice of others and everything seemed to indicate that I should go.  Yet it just seemed to good for me, I questioned myself for days and I continued to ask the Lord for confirmation that had already been given. We become our own enemies at times.  Finally one night as I went sleep I was praying out loud talking to God as is my habit and after drifting in and out of sleep I found myself saying the 23rd Psalm.  As it dawned on me what I was saying I felt the Lord say listen to my word. I am Your Shepherd, I will lead you to green pastures if you only believe I want to, that I love you and know what you need. 

Has the Lord been trying to tell you how much He loves you?  Are you listening for His still small voice? 

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters. 

He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His names sake. 

Even 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.

Your prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.