In Need of a Shepherd
Psalm 23:1-6
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
"Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft" according to 1 Samuel 15:23. You cannot have your way, God's way, and expect them both to work. I do not care what it is; it will not work without God's way and his blessing. He is not in the habit of blessing your way apart from him. Before, we talked about the turn of the tables. Now we will see under what conditions God facilitates this to happen. God cannot bless something if it is not his will, his way, and his plan at all times. Verse one acknowledges that "the Lord is my Shepherd." Because I know who my Shepherd is, "I shall not want." Do not be like those who use the dark arts for their own personal gain, other people's hurt, and revenge. In the end do not the dark arts end up taking such? How many African shows do you watch where the women and men are killed by their own schemes. God has not given up his right to be your Shepherd just because you do not recognize him. He is your Shepherd whether you consent to it or not. He would like to be the just Shepherd, the seeker of your soul, and the one who brings you back into his fold when you go astray according to John 10:11-18. If he has to sit down on his throne looking like the Lamb that had been slain as in Revelation 5:6, he will not be such a kind Shepherd. I will not want because I am in submission to him. He does not take my submission or my consent lightly. He is not a careless Shepherd like the father of Matthew 7:9-11 who gave the children scorpions and told them to eat rocks. Instead, see the following verses.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
He makes me lie down because I am full. These are green pastures, not brown nor barren. I am not hopeless with no future. I am not ever in search of something better. He makes me lie down of my own free will. The green pastures mean his provision is so much that I do not want anything else. He leads me beside the still waters. They are not stormy, they are not troubled, and they certainly are not about to drown me in them. God has prepared such a place for me here on earth to occupy that I do not have a storm, unlike the disciples on the boat. In Mark 4:38-39, we see them trying to wake Jesus. He has not placed me in a desert with no streams or water to be found as in Psalm 107:35. The water is there, seen in Song of Solomon 8:7, as many which can neither quench nor drown love. The devil is not here trying to kill what God wants alive as in Revelation 12:15; a flood of water was sent after the woman and her baby to drown them.
When God has something for you, there is no competition. I do not see here a hoard of other sheep banging on the shepherd's door and demanding the same treatment; nor, do I see them coming up to the peacefully resting sheep to trample them to death for their rest.
The provision of God is for all who submit to him and allow him to be their Shepherd too. He provides for each equally. The text makes it clear this is not an experience as in Job 14:1 who had nothing but God; then he concluded all life is trouble until we die and get to Heaven. The end of the Psalm says, "then I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." It does not say that I will dwell there first before I see the tables turned or experience this kind of provision. "He restores my soul." He must restore it; because, if he does not, you will agree with Job that everything you have seen and known in this physical world is all there is in this life. "He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake." Nothing I can do is going to make him stop leading me. He is doing it because of his name as Holy and Faithful not because we are such wonderful people according to Revelation 19:11. See, the paths of righteousness come next. Say it with me now in Samuel 15:23: "rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft." There is a way that is God's lined with spiritual gifts, abilities, and blessings. This path is not sin and does not lead to death as in Proverbs 14:12. He makes straight paths for the feet that the lame might be healed according to Hebrews 12:13. These paths will not be twisted, but rather beautiful. What God gave the devil perverted, remember. This is why his will is done on earth as it is in Heaven and we pray for such.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Our path may lead as it did for Jesus through the cross, to the grave, and straight to the resurrection. We should not be surprised for we have taken communion with him in John 6:53-54. "I will fear no evil" because his rod and staff comfort me. God will keep you on the path of righteousness beside the still water and green pasture. These may not be a distant memory; you can still have them even in the shadow of death. This is how you can be lying in bed paralyzed, still have a hope and a future in Christ, and see them through the things of God. This is how you endure like the martyrs who were slain for Christ's name because they saw him who was invisible according to Hebrews 11:27. You can have the shadow of death without still water and green pasture as well. Rest assured, the shadow of death is not your final destination. God's gifts have nothing to do with the world of the devil even though their paths may cross. How does he do this? Through the turn of the tables that we spoke of before. Hebrews 11:1 tells of faith which allows us to hope and see beyond what can be seen right now. By faith, Noah prepared an ark at the word of the Lord when he had never seen rain or even a flood before. Hebrews 11 is full of mad people just like him who believed the word of the Lord. They acted on that word to change the world and their stories.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Goodness and mercy follow me because of Christ. They do not follow me because I deserve them. He is my Shepherd and because of him I will not want. So, they "follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." The house of faith is God's. He is the author and administer thereof. You did not build the house and you do not own it. But look, why are those the two dogs of his, goodness and mercy, following you anyway? I might be in the shadow of death now but by faith I am dwelling in the house of the Lord. I might be passing through it now, but by faith I still live in the house of the Lord. I may not see goodness and mercy, but sometimes when I turn around I can hear them following me. I might not always see my Shepherd but I know he is there guiding me. And to that, I have to say, amen.