It was 2:38 A.M. and only 18 degrees (F) outside. I was soundly sleeping in my warm comfortable bed when I heard the deep growl and bark of dogs in our yard. Two large dogs were attacking our lambs and our three month old horse. The nightmare scenario of every shepherd was unfolding in front of my eyes. What could I do? By the time I was dressed and outside the battle for survival had begun. As a shepherd I used the power at my disposal to dispatch one of the attacking dogs and was able to run the other dog off. This time the shepherd won and the sheep and animals were safe for another day of life. What about next time? Would I, the shepherd always be there for my little flock of sheep?
As a Christian shepherd I have some observations and a few thoughts on Psalms 23.
PSALM 23
- (A Psalm of David). The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
Every day I must take care of my little flock. I must work with them, comfort them, protect them, feed them and give them fresh nourishing water for their thirst. My flock shall not “want”. Winters are bone chilling cold in Montana. The first lamb we ever had was born outside when the temperature was negative 6 degrees F. Frozen little “Lambsickles” are an awful sad sight. Frozen baby lambs who never were able to get up off of the snow. A shepherd tries to be there at all times when needed. As a human, physical shepherd I cannot always be there for my flock. Jesus, my Shepherd is always there for me. Jesus, our Shepherd will never leave us or forsake us. Jesus is more of a shepherd for us than any of us could ever be for sheep.
- He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
“Green pastures” are plush and comfortable and edible. Many spring evenings when the sun is setting and the birds have returned to chirp in the nightfall I find myself sitting in the “green pastures” with my little flock of sheep and lambs. All is peaceful. The evening is quiet, the sheep are contented. I am relaxed. My day is done. All is at rest and peace has come over the flock. As I sit on the pile of hay the ewe mama’s wander over to their shepherd. I pet them, talk to them, and console them. They baah a reply. One by one I call their name and one by one they answer me with a quiet “baah”. One sheep named “Eve” puts her head on my shoulder and won’t leave me until I have rubbed her behind the ears. When I stop she takes her front hoof and hits me asking for more. She always wins. Her babies sit on my lap until they run off to leap and play. In “green pastures” peace reigns…until the coyote or a neighborhood dog enters the scene. Then the shepherd must rise up and do what is necessary to protect the flock from the evils of this wicked world. “Still waters”. To quench a thirst is a most satisfying sensation. It is the water by the green pasture which keep sheep alive. Cool, clear, clean, calm water is what a sheep needs. We, God’s flock need the cool, clear, calm waters of His Word (John 7:38).
- He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Sheep do not have the soul you and I have. They have no life ever after as our Shepherd is granting to us at His wonderful return. Sheep are timid by nature, easily killed, run from danger and will often just wither and die weeks after a dog attack. Only a good shepherd can “restore their soul”. No amount of consolation seems to cure them after a dog or vicious animal has torn their young lamb to pieces. God, Jesus, our Shepherd RESTORES OUR SOUL every day of our life. We have His Spirit, His love, His kindness, His Shepherding of our lives. We lead our sheep to physical food and water. He leads us to His eternal life of love. He is our example of Righteousness. What He does for us can never be done for physical sheep. Jesus is our Shepherd leading us to peace.
- Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; they rod and thy staff they comfort me.
It was my daughters 11th birthday. A rainy June day. Dismal. Pouring. Thunder. Wind. We brought our sheep guard dog collie named Leo into our home because the weather was so very frightful. The shepherd had let down his guard. We found four lambs in the corner of the field just a few yards from our front door. Four beautiful little lambs piled in a corner by a fence, dead. A throat was ripped out of one. One was gutted by the coyote. The mama ewes were cowering in another part of the small field. Every day we all walk through the “Valley of death”. We will all die, it is given once for man to die and then the resurrection (I Cor. 15:22). Danger and the “shadow of death” is a part of human life and only our Shepherd, Jesus Christ can save us. “I will fear no evil”. Really? My sheep fear evil. How can I, how can we, overcome fear? We fear no evil because our Shepherd is there for us at all times. Our Shepherd never lets his guard down as I did on my daughter’s 11th birthday.
Thou prepares a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Protection. Food. Water. Treats. Grains. Even in the face of the enemy (dogs, coyotes, wolves, lion and bear- just as the shepherd David faced) we shepherds must make sure our flock is strong and healthy. Well fed. Watched over. Taken care of. Protected. Night, day, weekends, holidays, vacations, we MUST be there for them. How often does God do this for us? Every day!! “Oil” on a sheep’s head? Hmmm, what could that be? Medicine, for ticks and worms. Soothing. Loving. Protection from the elements. Healing powers of the physical shepherd. For us we have God’s presence and the healing powers of His Spirit. He anoints us with oil, the symbol of His spirit. His soothing, loving, protection from the elements. His healing powers, both physical and spiritual. He loves us so much that our Shepherd GAVE HIMSELF to save all of us. Our Passover Lamb, God on the Cross. Love so great and fantastic that it “runneth over” for all mankind. Our John 3: 16 Shepherd.
- Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
“Goodness and mercy” for sheep is unusual. Dogs do not usually have mercy on sheep. The dog is not mean, he is a dog following instinct. Dogs do not understand goodness and mercy but we shepherds do! We must be there for our flock. “Goodness”, only God is good (Mark 10:18). Jesus said “No man is good but only God in heaven.” A good shepherd is kind and caring to his flock of sheep. Only our Shepherd gives us His all. His home. His power. His protection. His majesty. His LIFE he gave for us so we can have LIFE with Him forever after. He is our Shepherd, our Savior, our giver of eternal life and goodness. His mercy never fails, for He is the true Shepherd of life (John 10:11).
As a shepherd I often think about our Lamb of God. He raises us, takes care of us, doctors us, feeds us, gives us the physical and spiritual medicines we need, He protects us from that roaring lion Satan. He fights for us when danger is present. He holds us in his loving arms of grace when we are little and cute and old and grey. We all grow old and die just like sheep.
We do differ from sheep. Once a sheep is dead it goes back to the dust forever. Our Shepherd gives us His resurrection to Life eternal in His Kingdom (I Cor. 15:50-53). Our Shepherd makes sure we will live forever with Him in perfect harmony without the thoughts of danger or of death. Jesus delights in giving His Kingdom to us. He is our shepherd of life.
Mike Wallace CLU ChFC FSS Mike and his wife Bonnie live in Florence, Montana and attend the Colorado Springs COG7 via Livestream each Sabbath. All of their 5 children participated in Montana 4H for 20 years raising sheep
