05/04/2020
Pastor Vinnie Cappetta
"The Lord is my Shepherd"
This past Sunday I asked you to imagine yourself saying…“the Lord is my Shepherd” (Psalm 23).
Related to this Psalm, one of my friends wrote to me, “For many years the verse ‘your rod and your staff they comfort me’ was confusing to me. I visualized a rod and a staff as punishing instruments that the shepherd may use to discipline his sheep. And then somewhere along my path I heard a pastor say that the rod and the staff were also used to help the sheep. The reason there was a hook at the end of the staff was to rescue a sheep or lamb when he or she was lost in the bushes and the rod to hold them back if there was a lion or a bear approaching them.”
The Lord is our shepherd, and whether he is disciplining us or whether he is protecting us, we can always trust that he has our best interests in his mind. That trust is especially important in these uncertain times.
Here are some reasons to trust your Shepherd, he…
- Gives us all we need.
- Lets us rest in green meadows.
- Leads us beside peaceful streams.
- Renews our strength.
- Guides us along right paths (bringing honor to his name).
- Walks with us through the darkest valleys.
- Comforts and protects us with his rod and staff.
- Prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies.
- Honors us by anointing our head with oil.
- Overflows our cup with blessings.
- Pursues us with his goodness and unfailing love…all the days of our lives.
- Brings us to the Father’s house where we will live forever.
That’s a lot to take in. Is there one particular aspect of his shepherding you need most today (take a look at the list above)? Take a moment and ask God for the faith to trust him and let him shepherd you in that area.
It is such folly to pass one’s time fretting, instead of resting quietly on the heart of Jesus. Therese of Lisieux
True shepherd of our souls, who calls his own by name, help us this hour to hear and to heed your voice. We know no other voice, and no other voice will we follow. Amen
