SEARCHLIGHT
Are you following your life path or God’s path?
SCRIPTURE
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. Psalm 23:1 NIV
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. Psalm 23:1 NKJV, NASB
The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. Psalm 23:1 NLT
The Lord is my shepherd. I will have everything I need. Psalm 23:1 NLV
SPOTLIGHT
Knowing someone’s name is so important. But knowing someone by name is even more important! Do you personally know any of the “Who’s Who of the World”? Maybe you know about some prominent people who have world influence but more than likely you don’t personally know them by name. Here’s the twist. You can personally know the “Who’s Who of the Universe”! God, the living Creator of all, wants you to personally know Him by name.
The “Who’s Who of the Universe” has chosen to reveal Himself by identifying His 9 compound names in Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. In order to personally know the Living God by name, ask yourself the following question in the next paragraph.
Are you allowing God to shepherd you through life? A little boy was asked to quote the first verse of Psalm 23. He got it wrong but also got it right when he said, “The Lord is my Shepherd: I don’t want anything else.” The wording was rearranged but the boy expressed ultimate trust in God, his Shepherd.
Today we look at the best loved Psalm. It is the most quoted passage in the Bible. And in Psalm 23 we discover the best known of all the compound names of God. It is JEHOVAH RAAH which means “The Lord My Shepherd.”
This is the most intimate, personal name of God that you should know. Let me explain why. It is a statement that has been spoken countless times by millions of people. God is seen as the Shepherd and people are seen as the sheep. How can people possibly utter such an absolute trust in God? They can only do it when they know God’s commitment to them. That is when they MEET THE GREATEST GUIDE.
David, who is the author of this Psalm, had been a keeper of sheep. He knew what a shepherd’s commitment was to his sheep. David saw how the shepherd was a beautiful picture of the God he called his Shepherd. Implied is the following:
#1 The shepherd commits himself to a relationship of tenderness and close attachment.
He knows his sheep and his sheep know him. Sheep know their shepherd’s voice. In David’s world, shepherds would come to a large fold, housing many herds of sheep. As each shepherd called for his sheep, each flock would separate themselves from the mass. Every sheep recognized his master’s voice and quickly followed. In addition, a shepherd will name his sheep in order to intimately and personally acknowledge each one. This is seen in John 10 where Jesus is identified as the Good Shepherd.
Imagine the Creator of the universe, who designs galaxies, creates the stars and places this planet earth among the heavenly bodies, names Himself “The Lord my Shepherd.” He invites you, by name, to become His sheep. You are one person out of billions of people. Philip Keller wrote, “It links a lump of common clay to divine destiny—it means a mere mortal becomes the cherished object of divine diligence.” [Keller, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, P 17] Think about it. To know that God is deeply concerned about you as a person gives great meaning to your earthly life. God commits Himself to having a tender, close relationship with you.
#2 The shepherd commits himself to a practical, working relationship. He cares for his sheep the way a mother cares for her child. Think about child rearing. First, there is the 10- month uncomfortable experience of carrying a baby. Then there is the pain of giving birth. Following that are the tedious years of rearing the child. In spite of all the discomfort and hard work, does a mother ever let the baby care for itself after birth? Absolutely not! But why not? Because the mother brought the baby into this world.
Creator God does not abandon you after you are born. Instead, Jehovah Raah commits Himself to the practical, working relationship of shepherding and parenting you. Please do not be insulted. You and I are a lot like sheep. Sheep are not good at properly caring for themselves. Often, they find themselves defenseless. Often, they do not know the best path to follow in life. In addition, they do not make wise decisions. God promises to guide you when you choose to be shepherded. He is concerned about your well-being. You matter to God! He longs to shepherd you with care and protection.
Surprisingly, sheep often wander away and can ignore their shepherd. You and I are just like that. You can often choose to be independent of God’s guidance and care. Often you choose your life’s path rather than follow Jehovah Raah’s path. Why you do this is very difficult to explain. However, being aware of this tendency can protect you from missing God’s best.
Just like a shepherd will risk his life for his flock, so God gave His Son, Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, to lay down His life for you. God has spared no pain in communicating to you that He has just not created you but longs to shepherd you. He put His Son on the cross so that your sin would not separate you from His loving care. Mark it down! God created you! God shows His care for you with the high price of giving His Son.
How blessed you are when you choose to follow Jehovah Raah’s path rather than your own. The Good Shepherd’s path is one of Godly affection, direction, correction, and protection. Will you right now and forever MEET THE GREATEST GUIDE you will ever know?
SOMETHING TO DO
Years ago, a pastor telephoned his sermon topic to a newspaper employee. The sermon title was to appear in the paper before Sunday. He told employee it was “The Lord Is My Shepherd.” When the newsperson asked, “The Lord Is My Shepherd. Is that all?” the minister replied, “That’s enough.” When the newspaper printed the pastor’s title, the topic read: THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD-THAT’S ENOUGH.” Later, the minister read the newspaper. Although it was an error, he very much liked the expanded version. It really did say what needed to be said. Can you say, “The Lord is my Shepherd - that’s enough!”? You will never choose a more qualified guide for your life than Jehovah Raah. What do you need to do to get to say, “The Lord is my Shepherd - that’s enough!”?
SOUL TIME PRAYER
Thank you, Jehovah Raah, for shepherding me through life. Thank You for Your exceptional care and closeness. You are all I need to discover my life’s path. By allowing You to shepherd me, I know I lack nothing, I shall not want, I have everything I need, and I will have everything I need. AMEN