Thoughts for the Day

The Divine Shepherd.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff—
they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
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.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

In today's society advertising on tv or through social media, tries to persuade us that we need dozens of items, whether they will enhance our quality of life, or indeed even work. We must have every electrical item for our home, and every new gimmick. Did you know you need a real tree with about twenty branches that reaches the ceiling and take up about half of the living room for your cat? Or an apartment with a proper bed, a working tv, cupboards, and a carpet, all under the stairs, for your cat?

However, I wouldn't advocate my own experience of having only a few things. My husband and I managed to buy a small house the day the mortgage rate went up (so we were then financially struggling), and our furniture consisted of a table and two chairs, a sofa, a bed, and a chest of drawers made out of an old wooden crate. Oh yes, we did have some bookcases with books, as well as a crazy deaf dalmation!

But Psalm 23 tells us there is another way to live our life in the 21st century. We don't have to put all our trust in what the world says we need. This much loved psalm tells us that when we trust in the Lord as our Shepherd, we "shall not want". This statement goes against all that the secular world advocates - for them relying on trust alone is an alien concept. Neither is It an easy thing to do for us Christians. But just as a shepherd feeds, protects, and cares for his flock, so our Lord feeds, protects and cares for us His children in the good times and the bad times. We just need to turn to Him, in trust.

Lord God,
Shepherd of us Your sheep,
give us the strength to continue
to place all our trust in You;
to know that You are always there,
and to provide what we need,
for You are the one true Shepherd.
Amen.