21ST AUGUST, 2022
Minister: Pastor Emmanuel Dansu
Text: Psalm 23
In an increasingly chaotic world, we need guidance like never before. We need someone to show us the way to go and the way out of confusing circumstances. From all indications, there cannot be a better shepherd than the Almighty God Himself.
The Lord is my Shepherd (Psalm 23:1; Isaiah 40:11)
God, being Eternal and Self-Existing, is limitless and unlimitable. He watches over us to feed, guide and shield us. He is the Best Shepherd and the best of human shepherds are the ones who point us to Him.
The Lord is a shepherd and not a goatherder. As such, He can only lead sheep who submit to Him or those that strayed and are willing to return to Him. He has no business with goats who do not listen to Him.
I shall not want (Psalm 23:1; Philippians 4:19)
To not want is to not lack any thing; it is to have all that we need. Our supplies, as God’s sheep, are according to His riches not our prevailing circumstances. He is El-Shaddai whose resources cannot be exhausted and He can meet all our needs.
Being in need as a believer could be an individual fault due to ignorance and indolence or a collective fault due to the negligence of fellow believers. We need to be rightly informed and diligent as individuals. As a collective, we all have parts to play in meeting one another’s needs
He makes me to lie down in green pastures (Psalm 23:2; Ezekiel 34:14,15)
To lie down in green pastures means to have sufficient space to be all God wants you to be. Therefore, all you need do is follow God diligently knowing for sure that He will graze you in the choicest pastures. Even if you are in a seemingly dry place right now, God is capable of either leading you into a lush pasture or turning your undesirable pasture into a pleasant one.
The essence of our calling is to come into rest. We need to rest in God and allow Him make us lie down in green pastures. We need to stop every agitation and allow Him lead the way.
He leads me beside the still waters (Psalm 23:2)
Though the times we live in are like turbulent waters, we have a Shepherd who is capable of stilling the waters and making us walk over them. This is a guarantee that we can thrive even in troubled times if we allow our Shepherd to lead us.
He restores my soul (Psalm 23:3)
The essence of restoration is to bring our wandered soul back to Him. No matter how far you might have gone astray, God has made the provision to restore you to Himself.
Further, we need the restoration of our soul when events around us become overwhelming. Surrendering to God in such situations will help us to catch our breath and not get exhausted.
He leads me in the path of righteousness for His name’s sake (Psalm 23:3)
We often try to live righteously on our own terms and by exerting ourselves. This has always failed as we cannot please God by our strength.
Thankfully, God leads us in the way we should walk so that we will not tarnish His image. He wants us to be His worthy ambassadors and so He keeps leading us in a way that we can be in right standing with Him.
Though, I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil (Psalm 23:4; Psalm 91:1)
When the storms of life arise, understanding that God is with us gives us the strength to carry on. Anyone who abides under the shadow of the Almighty cannot be swayed while walking through the valley of the shadow of death which represents the scary experiences of life. Our major business is to let the reality of God being with us lock into our minds so that intimidating issues don’t keep us down.
Your rod and your staff comfort me (Psalm 23:4)
The rod is for correction and rulership. Rebuke and correction might not be sweet to the soul but it is very important that we endure and yield to them because they end up putting us in positions where we can rule and do justice.
The staff is for support, comfort and ease. There are times when we are weary and we need to be held in place. The ministration of our Shepherd’s staff helps to give us the necessary comfort in such cases.
You prepare a table before in the presence of my enemies (Psalm 23:5; Matthew 10:16)
Some people are fond of praying that their enemies should die. However, the Psalmists shows here that God prepares us a feast of fat things for us in the presence of our enemies. This can only be due to the fact that being with God shields us from our enemies such that they cannot harm us no matter how hard they try.
It is then instructive that Jesus told us that we should be wise as a serpent and gentle as a dove because we operate as sheep in the midst of wolves. It is clear that being with God confers on us the necessary wisdom to function in the enemies’ territories without being hurt.
You anoint my head with oil, my cup runs over (Psalm 23:5)
The original idea of anointing in the Hebrew text is about fatness. This conveys the idea that God feeds us out of leanness in all ramifications. As the anointing makes us fat spirit, soul and body, we can then remove every burden and break every yoke of the enemy upon us.
In another dimension, being anointed with oil preserves and shields us from every form of dryness thereby keeping us fresh. This is particularly important when we are going through desert experiences.
The Holy Spirit sums up the whole anointing with oil experience. With Him in our lives, we carry God’s presence everywhere we go and we overcome every leanness and dryness. The Holy Spirit fills us so much that we overflow on all sides and we spread out as sweet-smelling savour blessing others.
Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life (Psalm 23:6; Nehemiah 9:25)
God’s bountiful goodness and His tender love are promised every sheep that submits to Him. He leads us through the challenges of life to a place of rest. That is why Jude instructs us to remain in the sphere of His love (Jude 21).
I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Psalm 23:6)
The house of the Lord is where His presence is and with the Holy Spirit in and upon us, we carry God’s presence wherever we go. It is then important for us to ensure that we do not allow anything take us out of His presence.
If you find yourself outside of God’s presence, you were the one who moved because there is no variableness or shadow of turning in God. He does not change and nothing can displace Him.
The Lord as our Shepherd has to leave the realm of abstraction in our minds and become a reality so that we can walk through life as the Priests and Kings we have been ordained to be.