Lord as ‘Good Shepherd’ provides comfort

No matter what you may be going through today, there is a resting place specifically designed for you. It is a place of solace, warmth, assurance and love beyond what you have ever truly realized. Your heavenly Father has so lavished upon you his only Son that you might be one of the sheep of his fold.

The 23rd Psalm is usually recited under the most terrible times, however, it is a psalm of comfort to those who choose to walk in a daily relationship with the Lord. It was written by King David, beyond his boyhood years, but having already endured the danger of death.

The psalm expresses how the care of so loving a shepherd can carry one through all the hills and valleys that life has to offer. It is a message to everyone about the depth of care and comfort that our God has for us. To realize it and grasp it within our hearts will bring a sense of peace as never before, no matter what else is happening around us.

Psalm 23:1-4, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters, he restores my soul; he guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and staff, they comfort me.”

As Christians, we have the assurance of the presence of the Lord in our lives. He is the “Good Shepherd” who cares for his sheep. He is the one who leads, guides and directs our lives. He is the one who protects us from harm and offers to us the assurance that no matter what, he is there to help along the way, every day. Life will bring heartache and loss, it will bring turmoil and tragedy, it will bring trials and tests but through it all we have the promise of God that we are safe under his loving guardianship.

With Jesus Christ as our shepherd, we will lack nothing. In the times where we are feeling the pressures of life, experiencing sickness, loss of a loved one or difficulty in a relationship, with Jesus we will truly not suffer lack.

You may ask how it can be so? With life’s circumstances trying to steal away every bit of peace, God orders a place of rest for us to gain strength. The Lord, our shepherd, leads us to green pastures and still waters. During our times of tiredness and sadness, he leads us to a rich oasis of lush green grass where we are encouraged to lay our tired heads down. He gives rest to the weary soul. He brings us to a place where we can have composure to reflect, away from all distractions. He gives us the still waters to rest by as he begins the process of restoring our soul.

No matter how hard life gets, no matter how much we struggle or fear, God promises to continue to guide us in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

We can have rest in the midst of the most difficult of times because the burden to guide and provide rests upon the shoulders of the great shepherd. He will never fail or forsake us.

Even when it is evident that we are going to walk through a dark valley we do not have to fear, because he is with us. God provides his rod for our instruction and direction, while his staff brings protection from harm. My prayer is that you will rest in the arms of a loving shepherd as he brings you comfort in times of need.

XPatty Scahill of Struthers, who is a teacher, preacher, conference speaker and author, attends Christian Life Church in Canfield. A former women’s director of Teen Challenge in Youngstown, she is working on her second book, “The Wilderness Journey.”