The Role of a Shepherd
Do you recognize your sheep-like qualities?
Verse of the Day
‘The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.’
Today’s Devotional
Can we just take a moment to breathe in the truth of this one sentence?
I love this translation of this verse. Mainly because “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” is so ingrained in my head that I hardly notice the meaning anymore. That’s the beauty of having multiple translations. As I was researching this verse, the commentaries have a lot to say about this one verse. Let’s just dive in.
There are many references in the Bible to God being our Shepherd, the first being in Genesis 49:24. Why does this matter? In ancient cultures, the role of the shepherd was the lowest one a person could do. That’s why David, as the youngest son in his family, was out tending the sheep when Samuel came looking for a new king. It was not a glamorous role, nor did it come with any status. Our God, the creator of the world, has willingly taken on a lowly role in order to care for us. God has no shame in lowly positions, which is evidenced in the life of Jesus. God seems to delight in the less-than-glamorous role of caring for us, His flock.
Think of the role of a shepherd. He feeds his sheep, guides them, governs them, defends them from predators of any kind, handles them gently, heals their wounds, and is their constant source of security. Not only that, but a shepherd LIVES with his sheep. This is not a clock-in then clock-out kind of job. It is a full time, round-the-clock gig. That’s what God is doing for us.
The Lord IS my shepherd. This is a declaration that David makes. It is not wishful thinking or a hopeful stance about God’s presence in his life. David presents it as fact. We should too. Next, notice that David says “my” shepherd. He is claiming God’s Lordship in his life. Saying that something is “mine” makes it personal. David doesn’t say that that Lord is, in general, shepherdly. One commentary states: “He does not say, ‘The Lord is the shepherd of the world at large, and leadeth forth the multitude as his flock,’ but ‘The Lord is my shepherd;’ if he be a Shepherd to no one else, he is a Shepherd to me; he cares for me, watches over me, and preserves me.”
One last thought about this declaration of God being my shepherd. It makes the assumption that I am a sheep. That I NEED a shepherd. This completely contradicts our self-sufficient culture. But I find it comforting to recognize my sheep-ness in today’s world. I can plan and arrange and promote my will all I want. It all ends in frustration. When I can finally grasp my humble sheep-like position before the all mighty Shepherd, it makes me feel like I can breathe. I think that’s what truth does to a person. Maybe that’s contentment with reality. Spurgeon says: “before a man can truly say, “the LORD is my shepherd,” he must first feel himself to be a sheep by nature, “for he cannot know that God is his Shepherd unless he feels in himself that he has the nature of a sheep.” He must relate to a sheep in its foolishness, its dependency, and in the warped nature of its will.
Finally, we move on to “I have all that I need.” That doesn’t always feel true to me. But my feelings don’t make it any less true. In the NIV version, saying “I shall not want” is both a declaration and a decision. There is power in being able to decide and declare God’s truth over our lives. Everything I have today is all that I need. If my feelings don’t align with that, then my feelings are deluding me. (Feelings do that a lot.) I can choose to be content with what I have right now, where I am right now, who I am right now. Because the Shepherd led me here. He’s with me. If I will allow it, He is guiding every step of the way and providing for all of my needs.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
How does God’s willingness to shepherd you affect you?
How does it make you feel that He is willing to serve you in that way?
How can you declare that God is your shepherd today?
How do you need God’s shepherding today?
How can you decide and declare that you have everything you need in this moment?
Comments
How do I need God’s shepherding today? “Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me” The Good Shepherd uses his “rod” to gently nudge me along and direct me down the right path. Should I fall off, and I often do, he uses his crooked “staff” to reach down and, with the hook, pull me back onto the path. How grateful I am that he doesn’t let me stray too awfully far!