Week Five - Jehovah Rohi: The Lord Our Shepherd
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I want to personally invite you to sit with me and with The Lord our Shepherd. It will be worth it to stop the busyness of your day and find a peaceful chair or spot to absorb the next few minutes with Jehovah Rohi. All of us tend to squeeze in all we can between activities in our lives. Don’t squeeze this in.
Let’s take a moment and ask ourselves: “How did I make this hour, this day, this week, this month so complicated? Why can’t life be calmer? Why is it so crazy? Why do I have this rush to do more, go more, and not take time to enjoy the moments?” We order the most important item from Etsy for the birthday party we are hosting, and we find ourselves freaking out that it is not yet at our doorstep, when all along, we knew the delivery date was going to be a tight squeeze. Yes, we seem to squeeze things in. We are the squeeze experts.
We are focusing on two portions of Scripture, Psalm 23 and John 10. We will be reminded how to live at a slower pace in our lives by the experts: Old Testament David and New Testament John. David was Israel’s most celebrated king who wrote many of the Psalms in the Old Testament. Although an incredible king, early in his life David was a shepherd who learned how to lovingly care for his sheep. John, the beloved apostle, was one of the original twelve disciples of Jesus who had a big heart and wrote about the shepherd and his flock in John 10.
David chose to write a hymn of praise with the imagery of the shepherd and his sheep. Scripture is filled with these parallels. It is no accident. David had the credentials to speak into our hearts on this subject. His “resume” is filled with worthy entries, not only documenting successfully how he reigned as king, but how he cared for his sheep. When David speaks, we listen. And perhaps he is singing, because the Psalms were meant to be sung by individuals, groups, or soldiers on their way to battle. Although David was a highly acclaimed king, his humble beginnings as a shepherd boy taught him how to love and deal with people and life. His emotions pour out as he teaches us to calmly take in the Lord Our Shepherd who wants us to hear his voice. Why would that be? Because we have a shepherd who is watching over us.
Take a deep breath, sip your coffee, or look at the blue sky and continue, because we are not meant to squeeze in the reading of the 23rd Psalm and portions of John 10.
“The Lord is my shepherd …” (Psalm 23:1)
It is no accident that in Scripture there are numerous references to God the Father as our Shepherd and Jesus the Son as our Shepherd.
A shepherd is just that, a herder of sheep. Sheep need a lot of help. In fact, think about it, most animals do not need as much attention. Sheep are fearful and stubborn, and needy, they must be guided. They get caught in thistles. They thirst and cannot find water. They need to be led to greener pastures. They need someone to guide them and protect them. They can get themselves into messes without a shepherd.
Sheep need a shepherd so that they can be guided to do what is best for them.
I just told you there are numerous references to God the Father and Jesus the Son as the Shepherd in Scripture, but guess what? WE are in the Scriptures too! We are sheep and without a shepherd, if we choose to live without the Shepherd, we will lose our way. We get caught in the thistles and we do not do life well at all.
“… I shall not be in want.” (Psalm 23:1)
David provided everything his sheep needed: He guided them to their food, to their water, and he protected them from their enemies. Even when they did not even know who their enemies were. When sheep are calmly guided, they are content. Are we? Are you content in whatever situation you are in, knowing you are being led by the Master Shepherd?
“…I have learned to be content in whatever the circumstances.” (Philippians 4:11)
Reminder for all of us: The Good Shepherd is delighted to give us what we need.
“He makes me lie down in green pastures…” (Psalm 23:2)
Sheep will not lie down if they are agitated. Does that sound familiar to you? We get so worked up, so agitated that we cannot stop to get out of the muck and sit in the green. The shepherd MAKES the sheep lie down. He knows what is best for them. Are you so unsettled about a situation that you have to be forced to calm down?
“… He leads me beside quiet waters.” (Psalm 23:2)
Sheep need to be led to still waters. How many times do we need still waters more than anything else? In most cases we make the choice to go the “unstill” route. We need water for our physical health; we need quiet for our emotional health.
“He restores my soul …” (Psalm 23:3)
There are times when shepherds need to rescue their flock. Sheep need intervention, especially when they do not see danger coming. Do you know what the term a “cast sheep” means? When a sheep is cast, it is stuck … so stuck that it is on its back, flailing, needing the help of the shepherd to roll it over and get it out of the mess. Whoa! Don’t we find ourselves upside down, flailing, and asking God to get us out of this mess? We are crying out for God to restore our souls and put us back to where we need to be.
“… He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:3)
This is important to note: sheep do not know the right paths. Only by the guiding of the shepherd will they be able to do what is best. No doubt, we are just like the sheep. Without allowing God to guide us in the right paths, we do not know what is best for us. “For his name’s sake” is so immensely powerful! We view life’s path as OUR path. In Isaiah 53, verse 6 it states “We all, like sheep, have gone astray …” If we are journeying on a path, the path meant for us by God, we are leaning into the path truly meant for us (“for his name’s sake”), not the path we had defined as ours.
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death …” (Psalm 23:4)
As I mentioned, without the shepherd’s help, sheep get themselves in messes, over and over again! They need their shepherd. David was an expert shepherd who helped his sheep in their troubles. The valleys will happen, no doubt, but this is the question: how do we maneuver through the valleys?
“… I will fear no evil, for you are with me …” (Psalm 23:4)
I am so excited to share with you my life verse that has guided me through the hardest of times when I thought I could not bear the pain. It has taken away intense fear and allowed me to know that I could get through anything. To try to tackle life’s fears alone is daunting!
“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7)
Some translations substitute “fear” for “timidity” and “sound mind” for “self-discipline.” The bottom line for us here is that there is no need to fear because we are never alone when we go through life with Jehovah Rohi.
“…your rod and your staff, they comfort me …” (Psalm 23:4)
Sheep get entangled with thorns and briars, and the shepherd has to use his rod to bring comfort to the sheep. Wolves and other prey are ready to pounce on the sheep. The staff guides and protects the sheep where they need to go. We as sheep need the guidance, protection, and defense of the shepherd.
“You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies …” (Psalm 23:5)
The shepherd prepares a flat “table” or mesa for the arrival of the sheep, where they can graze and be on even terrain. The Good Shepherd goes before us to help us.
“…You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” (Psalm 23:5)
Summer flies and parasites travel to the moist nostrils of the sheep and cause excruciating pain, inflammation, and infections. The sheep are so distraught, they lose the desire to eat, and they bang their heads against trees to try to rid themselves of what is eating them up. The shepherd knows to pour oil over the head of his sheep to deter the flies and parasites, a calming relief.
Our Good Shepherd takes care of every detail. He keeps us from banging our heads against the wall. He soothes us when we are attacked with the excruciating pain in our lives, even when our choices are the originator of the pain.
God’s daily provision anoints us with overflowing grace.
“Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life …” (Psalm 23:5)
Look at the word “follow.” Follow cannot happen if there was nothing before it. If we pour goodness and love into our lives and the lives of others, it follows us throughout our life.
“… and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:5)
A sealed deal right there. The Savior died for his sheep. You are the recipient of Jehovah Rohi’s love. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we belong to Him … forever. There is only one way into the fold.
“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.” (John 10:9)
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep.” (John 10:14)
Next steps:
1. I challenge you to read the 23rd Psalm and John 10 daily this week. It is so incredibly rich and relevant for our lives. I know … life gets so busy, but again, resist the urge to “squeeze it in” and sit with your coffee or tea in your special “go-to” chair or better yet … by still waters or by green pastures.
2. Answer these two questions: What can I eliminate from my life so that I can better hear His voice? What can I add to my life to hear Him better?
3. Listen to the beautiful song by Fernando Ortega: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fIVTpzi0zU. Powerful!
I could not have journeyed through life without the guidance and protection of Jehovah Rohi, The Lord My Shepherd. I invite you into the life of being more attentive to God’s watch and care. Whether it is initially asking Jesus to come into your life or whether it means to grow in the constant reminder that Jehovah Rohi is the most incredible Shepherd of your life, just know He delights in peacefully walking with you. He knows your voice and wants you to know His.
“When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” (John 10:4)
“Lord Jesus, I am forever grateful that you are my Shepherd. Thank you that you delight in knowing my voice. May I intentionally seek to know Yours better.”
Keller, W. Phillip, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1970, 2007).
Fernando Ortega, “The Good Shepherd” from album Come Down, O Love Divine, 2011.
All Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.