23

The Lord is my shepherd. Five words.  That’s it.  No more.  There is so much in those five simple words, but we can only scratch the surface in the time we have here.

 THE LORD.  To Adam he was Elohim…the Lord God.  To Abraham he was El Shaddai…God Almighty.  To Moses he was I AM.  To David in Psalm 23, he was Yahweh…the Lord.  Throughout history, God has been described by himself and others in a variety of ways.  He is the provider, the healer, the defender, the protector, the refuge, the rock, and many others.  The point is that the Lord responds in the manner and timing that is perfect.  We may not believe it in that moment, but we can be assured that it is indeed perfect.  

The Lord IS.  Not was, will be, might be, could be, should be, or any other phrase that the “conjuction junction, what’s your function” guy might come up with.  No, the Lord IS my shepherd.  That is an important distinction.  We can become so encumbered by our past, and wishful for our future, that we fail to experience the here and now of our lives.  The Lord wants to remind us that He IS, right here, right now.  When we need help in our struggles, the Lord IS.  When we celebrate successes, the Lord IS.  When we doubt, the Lord IS.  And when we step out in faith, the Lord IS.  There is never a point when the Lord is not. 

The Lord is MY…  It is critical to understand that David is the one writing these words.  This is the same David who was the boy shepherd that felled the obnoxious, arrogant giant.  This is the same David who became a giant obnoxious and arrogant individual himself.  This is the same David who could not take his eyes off the rooftop sunbather and as a result of his actions, had her husband killed in war.  But it is also the same David who the Bible describes as running after God’s heart.  In his ups and downs, David needed the Lord to be a personal, involved, and leading influence in his life.  Just as David was the shepherd to his family’s sheep flock, God was his shepherd…and is our shepherd, guiding, directing, and as we will see in the next few weeks, leading us to the best places. 

SHEPHERD.  Now, this might come as a surprise…it sure was to me.  But sheep are pretty smart creatures.  All of those statements you have heard about how sheep are stupid?  Well, they were wrong.  The experts say (I have said this before, but I always chuckle when I read “experts say”…who are these experts, because they are often wrong) that sheep can recognize 50 individuals’ voices and faces.  I can meet two people, have a 20-minute conversation, walk away, and in five minutes beat my head against the wall because I can’t remember one of their names.  Not a problem with sheep though.  Also, they take care of each other, especially tending to the sick.  When we get sick, we go to the store and look at a hundred varieties of medicine, never really knowing what to buy (unless of course, you are a mother).  Do we get a decongestant?  What about an expectorant?  Do we even know what an expectorant is?  I cannot even begin to count how many times I have bought the wrong medicine.  But not sheep.  When they become sick, they know what plants and specific grasses will make them feel better.  No sheep are not stupid.  But here is the thing, they are dependent.  And that is where the shepherd comes in.  We know the responsibility of the one who watches over the sheep.  The shepherd protects the flock 24/7.  There is not a time when sheep are aimlessly wandering around without supervision.  The shepherds are always there.  No, sheep are not stupid.  They just need help…and doesn’t that sound like someone you might know? 

If you have ever read any of my blogs, you know what’s coming next.  A little history tie-in.  For this season of blogs, I am going to be including anecdotes and tales from one of my favorite individuals in history…our first President, George Washington.  Though our nation’s history is replete with examples of individuals who were “shepherds” during the most demanding times, Washington’s life provides us with an extraordinary canvass of stories. 

He was a shepherd to a rebellious people for a righteous cause, a shepherd to a fledgling nation, and a shepherd to a disgruntled bunch of former soldiers, who remained unpaid for their service to the country.  It was March 15, 1783, and Washington stood in front of a group of officers he had commanded in battle, who had gathered in the Temple of Virtue in Newburgh, New York.  While the soldiers debated their next move, Washington entered in unnoticed.  The angered group were making preparations for marching on Congress and demanding pay for their service.  Though Washington agreed with the men that they deserved the pay they were promised and entitled to, he cautioned those gathered that to approach Congress in this manner, and to leave their families and farms in such a vulnerable time would be ill-advised, and that they could tarnish their battlefield reputations. 

After giving his speech, Washington then pulled out a letter written by Virginia Congressman Joseph Jones.  The content of the letter is irrelevant, but it is worth noting that Jones agreed with the soldiers’ arguments.  The important element of this interaction is what Washington did next.  Attempting to read the letter, he found the writing too small, so he pulled out a new pair of eyeglasses.  Washington then spoke, “Gentlemen, you must pardon me.  I have grown gray in your service and now find myself growing blind.”  For whatever reason, this action moved the soldiers to tears.  After all, he was a beloved leader and had endured the same hardships as those gathered in the room.  The soldiers then voted to cease any plans of discontent, and as an endnote, Congress did pay the soldiers for their five years of service. 

Washington was a shepherd, just not to sheep.  And as well will see in the next episode, he led men through pastures, and alongside and through waters.