Our Good Shepherd

Psalm 23 tells us that the Lord is our Shepherd. Today, we are going to talk about Him being our Good Shepherd.

What does a shepherd do? He takes care of sheep, who depend on him totally for everything. A sheep is helpless without the care of the shepherd. The well-being of a sheep depends on the kind of shepherd that sheep has to take care of him. A good shepherd is watching out for the sheep, keeping predators away, leading the sheep to water that is still (a sheep likes still waters, and not rushing, rolling waters) and to green pastures on which to feed.

This Psalm 23 is an image of Christ as our Shepherd in intimacy, a personal Friend Who desires not only to meet our needs but also to overflow His Blessing, His abundance on us, His beloved ones. He is pictured as One Who takes care of everything and thus develops with us a trusting, peaceful relationship.

Jesus as our Shepherd is our Supreme Provider of all our needs. We do not lack for anything. We lack for nothing. All is ours. In fact, that is what 1 Corinthinans 3:21,22 says. All are yours. Jesus is such a wonderful provider.

I want you to stop and really see, understand what this Psalm is saying to us today as God’s children, and this was in the Old Testament before Jesus ever came to take on our sins and sicknesses and diseases. This was before Jesus took our place and took the guilty sentence that really belonged to us. He took it all for us so that we could have complete freedom from all of the consequences of sin and satan’s destruction.

Jesus as our Good Shepherd feeds us and guides us and shields us. He gives us food to sustain us (His Word). He guides us by His Holy Spirit. He protects us from all evil. The evil one touches us not as God’s children because Jesus protects us.

Jesus leads us into peace in the midst of turmoil.
He revives life in us when we think we can’t go on.
He brings a refreshing to our weary lives.
He delivers us from fear.
He comforts us, not with a casual comfort, but a deep, permanent abiding love.
His unfailing love is ours all the time.
He brings His heavenly fellowship to us at all times.

With Jesus as our Shepherd, we don’t want.
We don’t want for forgiveness.
We don’t want for righteousness.
We don’t want for fellowship with Him.
We don’t want for being cleansed.
We don’t want for being made holy.
We don’t want for being made right in His sight.
We don’t want for peace for our mind.
We don’t lack strength.
We don’t lack healing and health.
We don’t lack for long life, days of life to finish our course and do what we are here to do.
We don’t lack for money, finances to accomplish what we are called to do for Him.
We don’t lack for days of heaven on earth.
We don’t lack for anything.
Why?
He is our good Shepherd and He supplies all our needs according to His riches in glory. And where is His glory? In us. Remember the scripture that says Christ in us, the hope of glory. Christ, the Anointed One with His anointing, is in us the earnest expectation of glory, His Presence (which is in us) manifested.

Meditate on these thoughts all day concerning your Good Shepherd. He loves you.