A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23 By W. Phillip Keller – Chapter 1 Reflection:
What does it mean that you are owned by the Shepherd?
- He Chose Me
- The Shepherd chose me from the beginning (2 Th. 2:13) that I would be holy and blameless before Him (Eph.1:4-5). He appointed me to bear fruit (Jn.15:16) and to bear His name before the world (Acts 9:15).
- He Bought Me
- The Shepherd bore my sin as He hung on the cross (1 Pe.2:24). With His blood, He paid the price, and I have been redeemed (Eph. 1:7).
- He Cares for Me
- Because the Shepherd cares for me, I can lay down all of my worry (Mt.6:25-34) and all of my fear (Is.41:10). When He is near, I find peace (Pp.4:6-7) and rest (Mt.11:28).
- He Guides Me
- The Shepherd guides me into the truth (Jn.16:13-15). His word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path (Ps.119:105).
- He Puts His Mark on Me
- The Shepherd has marked me with His seal, His promise, His guarantee that I am His (Eph.1:13-14).
Can you say that Christ is your Shepherd?
In chewing on this question for the past week, it really does come down to a matter of obedience. I can read my Bible every day, but do I put it into practice? (Jm. 1:22) I can say I love Jesus, but do I obey Him? (Jn. 14:23) I can claim He is my Shepherd, but do I follow him? (Jn. 10:27)
While I’d love to say yes to each of these questions, 100% of the time, that just wouldn’t be true. The fact is, I often fail. Way more often than I’d like to admit. Nonetheless, looking back, there have been several times, some clearer in my memory than others, when I can say that I have put His word into practice, or I have obeyed, or I have followed Him.
- I can remember very clearly the day I heard the Shepherd calling me into His pasture for the first time. His words in Matthew 6:25-34 called me to seek Him first above all else and to lay all my worries at the foot of the cross. It’s been a whirlwind ever since, and He has forever transformed my life.
- Very soon after coming into the Shepherd’s care, I remember Him calling me to serve on the Operations team at Gateway Church. First, as a team member and later as a ministry team leader. In the midst of this, He also called me to lead my sons by bringing them along to serve by my side and to model for them what it meant to be His servant.
- Daily, I hear the Shepherd’s call to lead my family. To pray both for and with them. To teach them. And to share the Gospel with them at every opportunity.
Looking at this question, a sermon I once heard comes to mind. It would seem that some were concerned about whether or not they had committed the unforgivable sin. The pastor addressed this by merely stating that ‘if you had, you probably wouldn’t be worried about it.’ I don’t remember much else from the sermon, and I can’t be sure, but I imagine he was speaking out of a passage like the one found in Romans 1:18-32. In which God gives people over to their sinful desires to the point at which, while they know God’s word, they no longer seem to care.
Considering this, while also considering my own walk, and if I belong to the Shepherd. I think about the peaks and valley that we all go through. For myself, I try to make a point to spend time each day in God’s word. But as I said before, I often fail. Sometimes I fail for a day or two. Sometimes I fail for a week or two, and as much as I hate to admit it, there have been times when I’ve failed for months on end. But I’ve always found comfort in this. That no matter how deep or dark that valley gets, I never cease to hear His voice calling me back. And I don’t just hear it occasionally, but it every, single, day.
The Lord is my Shepherd.