There are very few things on earth that are more soothing than sitting by still waters. It brings peace to our hearts and rest to our weary bones. Jesus is the good shepherd that leads us to these still waters in our soul. There can be chaos breaking out around us yet inside we can be at complete peace.
Psalm 23:1-3
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
We’ve now come to the most well-known of all the Psalms and one of the most famous passages of all of scripture. Known as the Shepherd’s psalm, this passage shows the loving nature of Jesus Christ in very clear detail. Anyone can read this chapter and quickly apply it to their own life. We have a savior who loves his sheep and cares for them as a shepherd does. He does not leave us when life gets tough, and he looks out for us as we walk the path of life.
Good Shepherd
The Lord is our shepherd. You may not have much experience with sheep or raising farm animals, but it is easy to get this. Sheep are dependent upon their shepherd to provide for them, and because Jesus is our shepherd, we shall never have want of anything. Don’t misread this thinking that David is saying we don’t want the shepherd. “Shall not want” means that we have no needs because of the shepherd. He continually leads us to what we need. Look at some of the provision he provides: We rest and eat where there is plenty, we drink by water that is still, he leads us to do the right thing and allows us to get the rest necessary. With those, we shall never want.
Brings Comfort
This shepherd also protects us when life gets difficult. Let’s face it, we can’t avoid difficulties in life, but as we walk through them, we can do so with the knowledge that Jesus is right there with us. We don’t have to go through life paralyzed by fear. We also have the comfort of his rod and staff. Many people picture a shepherd with a walking stick that has a curve at the top, that is the staff. It is used to bring stability, guidance, and rescue when we get into trouble. There is also another weapon at the shepherd’s side, the rod. This was how he protected his sheep. If a lion or wolf attacked, he would go after it with a rod. Both of these bring us comfort.
Finally, the shepherd brings blessings to our lives. We can go on with life even if people oppose us. No animal will eat if they know predators are prowling around. We don’t have to worry about that because the shepherd keeps them at bay. Our cup overflows with goodness and mercy following us because of the shepherd. Best of all, we dwell in the house of the Lord forever because he leads us there. Follow the shepherd, and you will never want of anything again.