I love how the Scriptures reveal God as a shepherd and us as the sheep of His pasture (Psalm 100:3). Jehovah-rohi is the name given for the LORD my Shepherd. The name is first given in Psalm 23 by another shepherd David the son of Jesse. Psalm 23 reveals how the Lord offers remarkable and necessary leadership for the human soul. Think of these areas that come up in Psalm 23: leadership that leads us to rest, leadership that leads us to fullness, leadership that restores our soul, we are guided along paths that lead to righteousness and justice, leadership that journeys with us through the valley of death, leadership that comforts us and protects us.
Our interior life takes great time, care and attention. Who better to lead it than God our Shepherd? Our souls are not self sufficient in and of themselves. If we are given to our own desires we will most likely chase the idols of our culture (think: money, power, and lust). We will be most often consumed with finding fulfillment in areas that store up security on planet earth but leave us desperately empty for eternity. Think of how much fame has left many a celebrity broken and in need of healing. Think of how political power has consumed entire nations driving them to war and disrepair. Think of how our struggle for promotion or influence can lead us to shortcuts where we use others through guilt, fear and manipulation. I’m telling you now: our souls need a shepherd.
I reflect on this past week when my wife and our 7 year old left town to visit family in Alabama. I was living life with my 3 year old here at home. Fully responsible and fully engaged every waking moment of the day. I will confess that I had forgotten the full time requirements of tending to a 3 year olds every need. I had to lead her through the day: encourage her in little predicaments she found herself in, peel her off the kitchen table that she climbed on as a launching pad to jump off of, feed her, clothe her, bath her, and go through the necessary steps to get her in bed each night. I was shepherding her life. Similarly, God invites us to be shepherded by Him. He alone is sufficient to lead us through the landscape of our lives. The terrain of our internal life can be shifting on almost a daily basis between conversations, arguments, pressures, responsibilities, leadership, missed expectations, broken promises, and a million other things. But, as David so poetical put it in Psalm 23 we can choose to have “goodness and love follow” us through the days of our life as we yield our hearts to be led by God.
The New Testament gospels and letters reveal even further what David introduced us to in Psalm 23. 1 Peter 2:25 shares how Jesus is the Shepherd and Overseer of our souls as we return and yield ourselves to Him. In John 10:11,14 Jesus refers to Himself as the Good Shepherd. He is a Good Shepherd is that He is willing to do for the sheep what no one else would: lead them in truth, love them, and in due course lay His own life down for them. Jesus is the true and good shepherd our lives need.
I’ll end with 3 particular ways that Jesus leads and feeds the sheep of His pasture:
1 Jesus ministry on the cross leads us to life.
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.” 1 John 3:16
Our restless souls only find rest when they rest in Christ and His gift of forgiveness, mercy, and grace. He leads us into relationship with God. Through His death and victory on the cross we have been set free from the cycles of sin, the principalities and powers of darkness. This is where our souls healing begins. We must trust in the saving work and deliverance of sin offered by Jesus Christ.
2 Jesus teaching leads us to life.
Matthew 5-7 records the infamous Sermon on the Mount. Jesus’ teaching in these 3 chapters grows us, transforms us, and leads our souls into healthy relationship with God and with others. Jesus’ teachings are to be trusted.
3 Jesus lifestyle models for us the abundant life.
You will see a pace to Jesus’ life in the Gospels. Moments away with God in prayer. Sacred rhythms of corporate worship. Plenty of time to be interrupted. Seasons of fasting and prayer. Each of these is vital to the health and sustainability of our soul. I recommend living a slowed down spirituality. Take time in your daily life to sit in silence in the presence of God, pray, read the Scriptures, and weekly take a Sabbath of rest.
I am so grateful for the revelation of God our Shepherd. It is definitely one of the most tender and intimate names that He has given us through His Word. Certainly He means for our souls to take His invitation seriously. We can be lead by Him. We can follow in His ways. It may mean sacrificing our own desires, passions, and instant gratifications but it will lead us to green pastures that heal, restore, and save our souls.
Paul Deary 