Psalm 23…“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD my whole life long.” vs. 6
The psalmist believed that there were benefits in having the Lord as his shepherd. It wasn’t that he was any better than anyone else. He was just one of many sheep in the flock. But there was such a blessing in living without anxiety and worry. There was always enough of everything that he needed for daily living, and when darkness threatened and life got scary, he could always count on protection.
Many know what that sort of life is like. They too have a deep and profound trust in the Lord, and day by day they are conscious of God’s guidance and protection. There’s not even anything to fear from the shadow of death–nothing will be able to separate them from the love of God.
The best words to describe such an existence are peace and serenity, and what a blessing it is to live with such equanimity. Of course there are also moments of disquiet. In a broken world like the one we live in there are bound to be discordant times. But where trust is strong, we can be confident that the stress will pass and joy will be restored.
The psalmist was right. Goodness and mercy do follow us all the days of our lives!
That’s what it’s like when we know the Good Shepherd, and he knows us!
Thought for the Day: How do I know that the Lord is my shepherd?
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