WE ARE WEARY
Fr’s Brad and Shane have spoken the last couple of weeks about the struggles each of us have been facing. Many of us have been uncomfortable, a few of us have been close to despair.
For myself I was frustrated, discouraged, and tired of waiting. There are some pretty major life changes I’ve been praying about for sometime, and I desired to be obedient. I thought God was going to move in a certain way in a certain time frame. And He didn’t. I was confused. Then sad. Then angry.
I am a sheep. I am dumb. and shortsighted. and forgetful. I’m prone to wandering. And left to my own devices I will be devoured by the wolves. I recently wandered, ever so carelessly away from the shepherd, and I felt the wolves nipping at my heels. But I heard the voice of my shepherd, and as I turned, he whisked me up in to his arms. Into His safety.
PSALM 23
Psalm 23 is so familiar. Because of its familiarity we can miss the rich promises held within.
It is a psalm that is very dear to me. When our son Noah was born with a congenital heart defect, knowing we'd only have him here with us for a very short period of time, knowing the road we were on, I held onto the promise - yea tho I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I fear no evil for thou art with me. It sustained me through those days with him, then on to the months of grief.
The Lord is my Shepherd is the starting place. If we know who our Shepherd is.
John 10: 11 - 16
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
He has laid down his life for us.
16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 1 John 3:16
What a wondrous truth that the God of the universe would choose to identify himself as a Shepherd. Through out history being a shepherd was a lowly occupation. We see in Samuel that David the youngest of brothers was delegated to watch over the sheep. When Samuel came looking for the King amongst Jesse’s sons, all but David were present. It wasn’t until they were all rejected that Samuel asked if there was another, and he was told that “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep”
In Jesus time shepherds were a despised class because their work prevented them from keeping the ceremonial laws, and as they moved about the country it was common for them to be regarded as thieves. They were considered unreliable and were not allowed to give evidence in the courts.
In The Treasury of David by Charles Spurgeon on Psalm 23/ Verse 1. "The Lord is my shepherd." What condescension is this, that the infinite Lord assumes towards his people the office and character of a Shepherd!
So Jesus the Messiah, Son of God sitting at the right hand of the Father having authority over heaven and earth chooses to be our shepherd, chooses to care for us...
He knows us.
He created us, we are his.
He knows us better than ourselves.
He calls us to himself.
He has come for us, wooed us to himself.
Our heart responds to his love.
We know his voice.
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:36
“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost." Luke 15:4-6
What does the Shepherd do?
HE BRINGS US TO HIS REST
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
3 He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
I shall not want.
It is a fact.
Because Jesus is our Shepherd everything we NEED is provided. But sometimes that's not enough. He may not provide what we WANT.
And left on my own I am so easily distracted, I wander off.
Or I resist being dependent and obedient so I try to make my own way and provide myself.
We are inclined to starve ourselves in the presence of the Lord’s good provision.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
Green pastures - physical provision
or rest
or spiritual provision - feeding on the Word.
He MAKES us lie down.
We feed on what is good for us.
We can rest.
Jesus brings restoration and renewal.
He has to make us lie down. But when we submit, it is sweet and filling and restful.
And the Lord leads us beside these "still waters;" we could not go there of ourselves, we need his guidance. Therefore it is said, "he leadeth me." At those still waters we find refreshment. We need to drink of the living water that alone will satisfy.
When Jesus was speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well he said:
10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Those still waters are living waters, giving life.
Our shepherd desires to bless us. He is attentive every moment. He cares for us with great affection.
REST IN REFRESHMENT, REST IN HIS CARE IN HARD SEASONS
But in life storms come. There are seasons of struggle and grief.
He has led us to still waters, has he not also led us to this valley.
The psalm says:
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 your staff,
they comfort me.
Yea, though I walk," we still calmly walk with God. To walk indicates the steady advance of a soul which knows its road, knows its end, resolves to follow the path, feels quite safe, and is therefore perfectly calm and composed. (Spurgeon)
It is not "the valley of death," but "the valley of the shadow of death," for death in its substance has been removed, and only the shadow of it remains.
We know the care and character of our Shepherd. We know he is faithful to protect.
The valley of the shadow of death, whether referring to our final walk through death to Jesus, Or symbolic of our times of suffering in life, we keep walking.
We do not have to fear,
Jesus love cast out all fear,
and he has broken the power of sin and death.
He is with us,
His rod corrects us,
His staff directs us.
We find comfort in His presence.
He has prepared us for this journey, we just need to stay the course.
Listen for his voice.
He will lead us safely through. and in the midst of it ...
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Spurgeon says of these verses:
"Nothing is hurried, there is no confusion, no disturbance, the enemy is at the door, and yet God prepares a table, and the Christian sits down and eats as if everything were in perfect peace. Oh! the peace which Jehovah gives to his people, even in the midst of the most trying circumstances!"
Even in the midst of suffering Jesus welcomes us to a feast. Even as he prepared for his arrest and crucifixion he celebrated the passover feast with his disciples. He sat at the table and broke the bread and passed the wine as his enemies were gathering. He does this for us now.
"Thou anointest my head with oil." "May we live in the daily enjoyment of this blessing, receiving a fresh anointing for every day's duties. Every Christian is a priest, but he cannot execute the priestly office without unction, and hence we must go day by day to God the Holy Ghost, that we may have our heads anointed with oil." Spurgeon
In the old testament Anointing with oil is a sign of consecration, each priest was anointed. Sanctified and set apart for the priesthood. In the new testament Spiritual anointing with the Holy Ghost is conferred upon Christians by God. Anointing "expresses the sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit upon Christians who are priests and kings unto God.
And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. 2 Corinthians 1:21 - 22
So overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and grace and mercy David exclaims: “My cup overflows”
In the care of our shepherd there is an endless supply of blessing on our behalf.
Goodness and mercy follow him always—"all the days of his life"—the black days as well as the bright days, the days of fasting as well as the days of feasting, the dreary days of winter as well as the bright days of summer. Goodness supplies our needs, and mercy blots out our sins. (Spurgeon)
He brings us safely home.
"And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."
We know that this is certain because we are sons of God. Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us.
Revelation 7:16 - 17
They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;
the sun shall not strike them,
nor any scorching heat.
17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
So, where are you today?
Is the Good Shepherd calling your name to bring you into the flock?
Have you wandered off and He is wooing you back?
Are you resting in His green pastures and by the still waters?
Are you walking through a valley?
In the midst of the valley are you feasting at the table He's prepared for you? Is your cup overflowing?
Can you say "Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all of the days of my life and I will dwell in His house forever?
Each week in a very tangible way we walk through this Psalm together as we gather.
We welcome our Good Shepherd and we acknowledge He is present.
We find rest and refreshment in His Word.
We are reminded He has overcome death and that he is with us in this life as we walk through its reverberating effects.
We feast at His table.
He reminds us He has set us apart, we are Holy.
By the end of the service our cup overflows in joy as we sing:
For us and for our salvation You came from heaven to earth
For love You carried the cross, crucified for the life of the world
Alleluia! What a Savior!
Alleluia!
PURCHASE
