A Sheep's Life

"The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing." Psalm 23: 1

The image of God as our Shepherd has been a rich and cherished one for many believers over the years - as has this Psalm. Even more so, when one fully understands the job description of an Ancient Palestinian shepherd.

A shepherd's job was to tend to the sheep as they moved and grazed through the sweeping hills of ancient Palestine. They did not pen up their animals as we do today - rather they moved the flock from pasture to pasture in search of good eating and drinking. The sheep, single-mindedly waddled around on their stubby little legs, with heads down, looking only to quench their appetites. It was the job of the Shepherd then, to tend the flock by doing 3 things - Protect the flock, Guide the Flock, and Feed the Flock.

It was a shepherd's job to protect the flock, because the flock could not protect themselves. In fact they would not even be aware of any impending danger, because they were concerned only with feeding their appetite. So the shepherd, with staff and sling in hand, protected the sheep by keeping them together, and watching for predators. No decent shepherd worth his salt would ever lose a sheep on their watch. They would protect each and every sheep from any kind of danger.

It was a shepherd's job to guide the sheep, because sheep walk with their heads down munching away. Eyes on the ground have a hard time seeing the big picture and knowing where to go. Left to there own devices, sheep would wander aimlessly - even into a desert or over a cliff to their destruction. The shepherd knew the best ways to go, and would ensure that all of the sheep in his flock went the right way. Sometimes this meant a swat in the hindquarters from his staff to a sheep headed unwittingly in the wrong direction - but every shepherd took it upon themselves to guide the flock in the correct direction.

It was a shepherd's guide to feed the sheep, because the sheep were unable to feed themselves. Remember there were no pens and troughs for controlled feeding - the sheep needed to be led to a good green pasture in order to fatten them up. That is what the shepherd did. He knew where the good pasture land was and he led his sheep to the feast. He wouldn't be much of a shepherd if he let his flock become malnourished and die. The shepherd fed the sheep.

So, if God is our Shepherd that seems to indicate that we are sheep. In fact the Bible says that "we all, like sheep, have gone astray." We have been walking around aimlessly with our heads down looking to quench our insatiable appetite for sin, and if not stopped and corrected, we will eventually walk ourselves towards our destruction.

Thankfully so, Jesus is our good shepherd, and we shall lack nothing under His care. He chases us down and returns us to the safety of the flock - in fact He gave His life for His sheep. With His power and love, He protects us from any real danger, He leads us into paths of righteousness, and He feeds us with the Word of God. He will never leave us, nor forsake us.

Under the care of our Great Shepherd Jesus, we will truly never be in want for anything.

Be God's, Scott