The Shepherd of the Sheep

“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.”  Psalm 23:1

This is the first line of the 23rd Psalm, probably one of the most memorable passages in all of scripture other than The Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9-13.  Jesus is the Shepherd, and He is also referred to as “the Lamb of God” by John in both the book of John and in Revelation.  How can He be both the Shepherd and the Lamb?  The same way that He is the Father and the Son and the same way that He is fully God and fully Man.  Our finite, human minds cannot explain these facts, but by faith we know them to be true.

Believers in Christ are referred to as “sheep”.  Sheep are friendly animals and have a natural inclination to follow a leader.  They remain close to one another in the flock, and their primary defense is to flee from danger.  They recognize the faces and voices of those who lead them, remaining loyal followers.  They do not whine and complain, but assume their role as sheep with integrity.  They put all their trust in the Shepherd.

As committed followers of Christ, believers will never suffer lack.  We may not receive all of our desires, but we will never have a need that Christ cannot meet.  My Daddy didn’t have a high school education, yet, because he loved and depended on the Lord, he was always able to provide for my Mama and me when I was young.  God met our every need.  Those folks who preach a prosperity gospel that if you cross all the t’s and dot all the i’s and send in some “seed” money to their organization, then God will make you wealthy.  They are the ones who get wealthy from the donations made by the folks who send them money.  God is not about making folks wealthy, not materially.  He is about making folks wealthy spiritually.  The people who are truly rich are the ones who have had their sins forgiven, their hearts changed, and their lifestyles focused on the things that are really important.

My hope is that during this time of the COVID-19 pandemic there will be multitudes of people who will turn to the Lord and realize that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).  Notice, the word “present”.  That means that God is with us at all times, to help us in whatever storm we are facing today, this very hour.  So no matter how big our problems are, God is bigger.  He knows what every person needs and is willing to supply the need when we turn to Him.