"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want."
Psalm 23:1
We are very familiar with this beautiful Psalm. Our Father in heaven, and His Son, Jesus, are both referred to as shepherds. When we consider this, we have a very pastoral and gentle image of a kind shepherd gently tending to the everyday needs of his sheep. And so the Father does for us continuously. Scripture says of Him:
"He will feed His flock like a shepherd;
He will gather the lambs with His arm,
And carry them in His bosom,
And gently lead those who are with young."
Isa. 40:11
Another image of the shepherd is given in scripture. Jesus says of Himself in Jn 10:11, "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep."
What Jesus reveals here is part of the special nature of the shepherd, that we sometimes overlook. A shepherd not only provides food and shelter for his sheep, but he also fends off predators of the flock, even at the risk of his own life.
David, before he became king of Israel, was a shepherd in his youth. He was very familiar with the duties of a shepherd, particularly when it came to protecting the flock of his father, Jesse. David recounts to Saul the occasion when he fought both a bear, and a lion that had taken one of the lambs of his father's flock. He not only killed the two predators, but rescued the lamb right out of their mouths (1 Sam 17:34-35). David had the experience in the LORD of himself and his lamb being delivered out of the mouths of fierce beasts.
We are told in scripture of another instance involving David, and his experience as a shepherd. He had been in the territory of Carmel, with his men, before he became king. While there, he came across the flocks and herds of a rich man named Nabal. As long as David was in the territory, Nabal's shepherds were protected, and all predators were kept from the flocks by day and night. Not one animal was lost, as long as the shepherds stayed with David and his men
(1 Sam. 25:15-16).
In another instance, King David's anger was kindled as the prophet Nathan told him a tale of a poor man's only lamb being taken from him by a rich man. He even told the prophet that he would have this rich man killed for taking the lamb. Even though he was a king at this point in his life, David was moved in his shepherd's heart on behalf of this poor man and his lamb. He didn't immediately understand that the prophet was telling David about the king's own sin in taking another man's wife. When he did understand the point of the story, he was repentant for his actions (2 Sam. 12:1-5).
As for David's shepherd heart, willing to fight for his flock, the LORD said, "I have found David, the son of Jesse. a man after My own heart, who will do all My will." (Acts 13:22). David had the same heart as His heavenly Father - a shepherd's heart.
Dealing so closely with with predatory beasts, both natural and spiritual, can come at a heavy cost to shepherds. Our Father has called men and women to be the shepherds of His people, as well. Sometimes we forget the spiritual danger in being this kind of shepherd, a good shepherd. But it is these shepherds experiences with the delivering power of God that allows them success against the enemies to the flocks of God, and brings great benefit to us.
As our Father is our Shepherd, and the Shepherd of Israel, He also has this same heart for His people, His sheep. Not only does He supply all of our needs, and direct our way, but He fiercely protects us against the spiritual predators that seek to harm us. As Jesus said, He was willing to die to keep our lives.
Our Father is our Shepherd.
"The LORD is My Shepherd"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-qLa_2GPcM
"Shepherd Me, O God"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6g_hROZbQV8
One of the biggest challenges in the mind of man, especially in these times in which we live, is the ability to accept that their Father in heaven loves them.
The perennial question always seems to be, "If God is really a loving God, than why.....?" You can fill in the rest of that sentence with standard comments that challenge the concept of a loving God. The voices do not question the existence of God, but they question that He loves.
In 1 John, the writer puts this issue very simply: God is love (1 John 4:8, 4:16).
Moses had a request of God. He wanted to see God's glory. The LORD hid Moses in a cleft of a rock, and passed by him, covering Moses with His hand, so Moses could see the back of the glory of God, as the LORD walked past him. As the LORD passed by Moses, He made this declaration about Himself and His name:
"The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin..." (Ex. 33:6-7).
The LORD went on to proclaim that, for the sake of justice, He does not clear those who continue to walk in their guilt.
When we look at this scene with Moses, where Moses' deepest desire is indulged by the LORD, we can feel the gentle love and tolerance of God towards this man. As the LORD proclaims the character of His holy name, He proclaims the quality of His love. Even His name is love.
The enemy of man's soul has always goaded man to question the love of God, especially as that love is expressed through the promises and commands of God. The enemy desires to keep us separated from the love of our Father. If he can cause you to separate yourself from the Father's love, then he becomes successful in separating you from the essence of God's being.
There is a deep expression of the love of God in Isaiah 49:14-16:
But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me,
and my LORd has forgotten me."
The LORD answers saying,
"Can a woman forget her nursing child,
And not have compassion on the son of her womb?
Surely they may forget,
Yet I will not forget you.
See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;..."
As Isaiah has written above, our Father's hands are forever pierced with our names. He carries this inscription forevermore. When He raises His hands, He sees the permanent evidence of His steadfast love for us. Yes, it was His Son, Jesus' hands that were pierced in the flesh, but Jesus only did what He saw his Father doing, and Jesus fulfilled the prophetic word of Isaiah above. We also remember that although Jesus is an individual member of the Godhead, part of His prophetic name, according to Isaiah 9:6-7, is " Mighty God, and Everlasting Father". So, Jesus cannot be separated from the being of our Father.
Our Father's love for us, and His nature of love, is expressed in His giving. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son {This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased}, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." 1 John 4 tells us that the love of God is manifested toward us in that God sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him.
1 John 3 begins by saying "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children (sons) of God."
Jesus taught that if our earthly fathers love us enough to give us good things, how much more will our heavenly Father give to us. Love is expressed by giving. If we think we have a loving heart, as the heart of God is, yet we resent giving, we have a need to be reunited with the love of God, because the love of God is expressed in His giving.
1 John also instructs us, as Jesus did, that if we are truly a part of the love of our Father, than we must also love one another. If we are continually involved in strife and offense with others, then we must be reunited and reacquainted with the love of our Father. Our Father even expresses His love for the wicked when He says that He brings sun and rain to them as well for their benefit and provision. If we are truly acquainted with the love of our Father, then this same love must be resident in us:
"But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven;
for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust."
Mat. 6:44-45
Having this same love in our hearts makes us His sons. This is what the earth is groaning for: the manifestation of the sons of God.
In Isaiah 59, the people are involved in the religious activity of fasting. The LORD questions the value of their fast because of the motive behind it. It is a selfish, and self-righteous motive that He exposes. He goes on to describe the kind of fast that touches the heart and purpose of God-a fast that is poured out of a character of love, giving and charity, in the same manner as the LORD. He says that it is this kind of fast that touches His heart, and brings healing and glory.
In 1 Cor. 13, the Apostle Paul said that no matter how spiritually gifted we are, no matter how powerfully we prophesy, no matter how deep our knowledge, wisdom and understanding are of the things of God, if we are not ministering out of a fountain of our Father's love from within us, all of those spiritual gifts are without value. What a great stumbling block that must be to those who are not acquainted with the Father's love. In order to move in this supernatural love, we must know that it is there, and that our Father pours out that love everyday into our lives. It is the very fountain of life within us.
Do not doubt the love of God, nor allow the enemy to rob you of this wonderful love. Do not be so caught up in the activities of religion and this world, that we forget that every word and act of God is conceived in love.
Our Father is love.
"God's Love Letter For You"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpSE3eZTCNo
"Love Has Come"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIIAf2lS_Us
"The poor and needy seek water,
but there is none.
Their tongues fail for thirst.
I, the LORD, will hear them;
I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
I will open rivers in desolate heights,
And fountains in the midst of the valleys;
I will make the wilderness a pool of water,
And the dry land springs of water.
I will plant in the wilderness
the cedar and acacia tree,
the myrtle and the oil tree;
I will set in the desert
the cypress and the pine
and the box tree together,
that they may see and know,
and consider and understand together,
that the hand of the LORD has done this.
And the Holy One of Israel has created it."
Isaiah 41:17-20
Our Father uses this beautiful natural imagery of watering and planting the desert, in order to show the power of transformation that He brings to the lives of those who desire and thirst for Him.
When we seek to know our Father, and begin to study His word, and meditate upon what we have learned of Him, we begin to desire to reflect His nature, His character.
Jesus proclaims in a loud voice that if anyone thirsts, let him come to Him and drink (John 7:37). He also tells the woman at the well:
"but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." (John 4:14)
There is a transformation in the life of a human being from having a relationship with our Father, and with His Son, Jesus. This transformation not only occurs in us, but in all of the circumstances pertaining to our lives.
The Apostle Paul explains that we become a new creature, a new creation through our relationship with Christ. We cannot help but be changed:
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." 2 Cor. 5:17
Our Father has told us that He has made great and precious promises by which we become partakers of His divine nature! (2 Peter 1:4). He created us in His image, and His plans for us have never changed. By His transforming power, we begin to walk in His likeness and being.
The prophet Isaiah again says of God:
"Do not remember the former things,
nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert...
Because I give waters in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert,
to give drink to My people, My chosen.
This people I have formed for Myself;
They shall declare My praise."
Isaiah 43:18-21
The purpose of the transforming power of God is to bless and benefit His people, and to cause His people to rejoice, showing praise to God. He has always desired to fill the earth with mankind fulfilling His purpose: to inhabit His image and character.
Though we may try to change ourselves with all of our might, our success is often limited, and of short duration. But the transformation that comes from our Father, starts in our innnermost being. It is miraculous, and everlasting. Some of the changes are startling and sudden. Some of the changes begin to show slowly in our thoughts, emotions, and finally, our outward behavior. This transformation received with our commitment to the LORD, continues throughout our whole life.
Our Father delights in His transforming power, and desires for us to share in this delight.
"To Be Like You (Lord)"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmITHkKGyO4
