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I volunteer at a children’s farmstead. Families come to bottle-feed baby goats, ride the horse-drawn hay ride, fish in the pond, visit the Indian camp and the old-time stores, watch a dairy cow milked, and view all sorts of farm and wild animals native to our area. The farmstead is also popular for grade school field trips. Buses disgorge mobs of children and a few adults who herd them about. The adults help the kids find the bathroom, lead them to lunch and make sure none get away, um, I meant none are lost. After all the fun of the farmstead, some children still grumble because they want something else. It is a thankless job to be a parent helper on a school field trip.

This may be the closest we come to understanding what a shepherd does. Shepherds tend flocks of sheep in open range areas. Most of us have never known a shepherd or raised sheep. Much like a field trip parent, shepherds lead their charges to food and water, round up strays and care for injuries.

This week the podcast will look at the twenty-third Psalm. Verse one says, “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.”(NIV) We’ll explore what God does for us. But this verse gives the ultimate result. When God cares for us, we will be satisfied. We won’t exist in a state of want.

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Bumper music “Landing Place” performed by Mark July, used under license from Shutterstock.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:00 — 3.7MB)

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Psalms 23:1-3 says, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul.”

In this famous Psalm, God’s care for us is compared to a shepherd caring for sheep. Notice the sheep are well fed. They are led to rest in a green, lush pasture. They are also led to water. Someone once told me that sheep will not drink from fast flowing water, especially near rapids. They prefer quiet water. This tells us that God provides for us by providing what is most suitable.

But what about the phrase, “He restoreth my soul?” How do you restore the soul of sheep? Do sheep even have souls? What is the meaning of this?

The word can mean “soul,” but it can also be translated “life.” I think Phillip Keller gives a good word picture. He says this refers to a sheep that has tumbled onto his back. Evidently, sheep with a large fleece can become stuck on their backs. They kick and flail about. Without help, they may stay in that position until they die. The shepherd comes and restores them to an upright position.*

Do you ever feel you’ve been knocked for a loop? That the events of life have left you flailing about? Remember, God not only provides for our basic needs, he also gets us back on our feet.

*Phillip Keller, “He Restoreth My Soul,” Excerpts from: A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23 part 4, Antipas, http://www.antipas.org/commentaries/articles/shepherd_psa23/shepherd_04.html.

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Bumper music “Landing Place” performed by Mark July, used under license from Shutterstock.

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Have you ever wondered about the future? Maybe you follow a sports team and you wonder whether they will make the playoffs or not. Or, do you follow the stock market and wish you knew when the market would turn or a particular stock would take off? Medical tests make us wonder about the future. Have you ever wondered what the diagnosis would be and how that might change your life? I think all of us have gone to the store and wondered what will happen with inflation. Will it ease or grow worse? People are already wondering about the next election and who will run and who will win.

It is difficult to be sure about the future. So many things can happen! But we can have assurance about the future. Listen to Psalm 23:1, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Did you hear the assurance in that verse? “I shall not want.” There is no wondering about the future! There is no doubt in the Psalmist’s mind. Everything will be good. All his needs will be met. Why? Because the Lord is the one caring for him! He is trusting in someone sure — God!

This is the main point in the psalm. We can trust in God to care for us. If we rely on him like sheep rely on the shepherd, then he absolutely will care for us!

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Bumper music “Landing Place” performed by Mark July, used under license from Shutterstock.

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Have you ever been at a party and someone starts a get-to-know-you discussion with a strange question like “If you were an animal, what kind of animal would you be?” That may be ok at a party, but sometimes you get that type of question at a job interview! The question is designed to reveal how you think about yourself and whether you can think on your feet or not.  You may or may not think such questions are fun!

Today, I’m asking you that question. If you were an animal, what kind of animal would you be? Would you be a lion? Some might say they were an eagle or a horse. Others would probably go for the safe bet,  you know, a dog or cat. Some may get exotic and say they are a dolphin or a unicorn! But I guarantee you no one would say they were a dinosaur, monkey or mule! There is one more animal people don’t identify with, but should — sheep!

Psalm 23:1 says, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” That’s right, if God is the shepherd, then we are sheep. Not very flattering is it? But it can be very comforting when you see the care the shepherd gives to sheep.

This week, we are going to explore the 23^rd Psalm and how it describes a good relationship with God. Being God’s sheep is a good thing!

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Bumper music “Landing Place” performed by Mark July, used under license from Shutterstock.