Pastor Miles taught a few weeks back on Psalm 23. He took 6 weeks to teach on it and since it is 6 verses long, it equated to about a verse a week. It was a great study of one of the most recognizable passages in the Bible. We learned a great deal about the significance of the Lord as the believers Shepherd.
There are so many great ways a shepherd cares for his sheep and the ways that the sheep trust their master. That is why God uses that analogy to show His care for us, His sheep. I am so thankful that this dumb sheep has the Lord of the universe watching over me, loving me, and caring for my every need for my good.
At the end of this study, Pastor Earl summed it all up for us. Below is a summary of all those weeks of teaching in an amplified paraphrase of this Psalm. I thought I understood this passage before, but this has magnified for me the wonderful truths of all that my Good Shepherd is for me. I hope this is helpful to you too.
We could paraphrase these verses this way in light of what we've seen: The "Great I Am" who is all I could ever need and more than my soul could ever desire is my Shepherd, my Feeder and Caregiver; I will not lack anything that is necessary for my good and His glory in every situation and at every moment of my life. (1) He causes me by His sovereign goodness to relax and rest from fear, conflict, disturbance and hunger and find nourishment for my soul in feasting on His word in the midst of my present carefully chosen circumstances; He carefully and intently and continually leads me to places in life where I can drink deeply from His goodness and be refreshed. (2) He turns me away from empty idols and back to Himself as the Fountain of Living Waters, putting me back on my feet and renewing my peace and joy and courage; He goes before me like a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night - in faithfulness to His promises – to keep me in the wagon tracks of how He has worked in the lives of those who have gone before me so that I might become more like Him to the glory of His name in my heart and through my life. (3) Even though I am led further up and further in to the higher, richer meadowlands through the dangerous and difficult valley of death shade – with its threatening storms, rock slides, rampaging rivers, poisonous plants and hidden predators, I have no reason to be afraid of ultimate evil or harm, because You, my great and good Shepherd, are with me, ready to use Your rod of protection and correction and Your staff of guidance and rescue, both of which bring me the comfort of profound security in You. (4) You, my Shepherd, set in front of me a table full of feasting foods in the sight of all who are hostile toward me and even through their hostility; You cause my head to be fat with fatness – full of happiness in Your welcoming hospitality, set apart for Your worship and service; my wine cup of blessing is saturated to the full, spilling out on others. (5) Without a doubt, only good things for my welfare, prosperity and happiness flowing from a good Shepherd's heart of tender affection and kindness will chase me down with a relentless, violent passion for my good and His glory, driving me into the waiting arms of the Shepherd and securing my place in and enhancing my enjoyment of the family of God now and without end of days. (6) - Earl Miles
No comments:
Post a Comment