Have you ever heard of Psalm 23 from the Bible? It talks about God being a good shepherd to us, guiding us through life.
This Psalm is famous for showing how we can overcome challenges with God’s help. But sometimes, when life gets tough, it’s hard to see how this Psalm applies to us.
We might wonder, where are the peaceful places it talks about? When will we feel calm and restored?
Do you need a shepherd?
The Psalm starts with a critical line:
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
Psalm 23:1
This means that we should trust God like sheep trust their shepherd. But sometimes, we forget this and try to handle everything on our own.
We think we’re too smart to need guidance, like sheep that don’t realize they need a shepherd. We might become successful in some areas of life but still feel empty inside.
We often try to be smart and good without God’s help. This is what happened in the Garden of Eden, where Eve was tempted to seek wisdom without God. So, when we try to control everything and rely on our limited understanding, we often end up making the same mistake.
Jesus’ example
Jesus, however, showed us a different way. He fully trusted God, even when it was really hard. He knew God was perfect and had a plan, even when things didn’t seem great. Jesus’ trust in God was so strong that he was willing to die for us, to bring us back to a place of peace and restoration. That is a good shepherd!
Getting to know God isn’t just about learning facts. It’s about forming a deep, personal relationship with Him, like intimacy between a husband and wife. To really trust God, we need to know Him intimately. But that’s not easy, especially when we feel guilty or ashamed of our mistakes. We need good shepherding.
What is true repentance?
Many people misunderstand the idea of repentance. It’s not just about feeling guilty; it’s about turning back to God, like a lost sheep returning to its shepherd. It’s about coming home to a place where we’re safe and loved, not left alone feeling guilty and condemned.
We’re often too focused on our failures and don’t look up to see God’s love and mercy. God loves us even when we make mistakes. He wants us to experience things that will help us truly know Him and not be fooled by lies.
Understanding the Bible isn’t just about reading; it’s about experiencing God’s love in our lives, which makes our faith grow and our desire to be shepherded strong.
Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrew 12:2
Hebrews 12:2 in the Bible says we should focus on Jesus, who perfectly trusted God. Jesus knew some people would understand and accept His message, and others would not.
We need to remind each other that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. He is our Good Shepherd, and just like He followed God, we should also pray to be humble and follow our heavenly shepherd willingly as grateful sheep.
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