Read Psalm 23.

As I write, the new spring lambs are bouncing around in the field outside my kitchen window. They chase each other’s tails, leap on top of one another, crawl under gates and fences and basically do their best to cause their mothers some heartache! I have lost count of the number of times I have had to reunite a lost lamb with its stressed and baying mother. As a non-farmer I get to observe the differences between shepherds: the careful and attentive shepherds visit most days, clip the feet of the lame and douse the fleeces before the maggots appear.

Those who simply put the sheep in a field or hillside and neglect them for weeks at a time are not rated quite so highly in my book and, unsurprisingly, these are generally the ones I occasionally have to ring to say I have found one of their sheep injured or dead.

The role of the shepherd is one of constant vigilance motivated by loving care, and it definitely includes a measure of sacrifice e.g.: getting up through the night to assist lambing mums, especially those with mal-presentations, being there to pick up an apparently dead lamb and fiercely rub or swing some life into it, being alert and aware of where the sheep are and the potential hazards they might encounter, of where the predators might find their way in, checking to ensure there is enough grass or water, and, not least, counting how many there are.

The role of the shepherd is one of constant vigilance motivated by loving care, and it definitely includes a measure of sacrifice...

King David, who wrote today’s Psalm 23, was a shepherd in his youth. The whole Psalm describes his understanding of what it means to live in the security of a covenant relationship with God his Shepherd. He is totally assured that God’s only thoughts towards him are for his good and well-being.

In verse 4 he acknowledges the inevitability of facing death (and David certainly faced death many times). But it is clear that the strength of his awareness of God’s constant presence meant that even in these darkest of times, there was no room in his heart for a foothold of fear. Deep within his heart David had built a stronghold of God’s love, goodness and never-ending loving kindness towards him, in which he was totally secure.

Additional reading: John 10:1-18.

Prayer Time:

Look back to Our Covenant Partner and the 9 steps to making a covenant.

Deep within his heart David had built a stronghold of God’s love, goodness and never-ending loving kindness towards him, in which he was totally secure.

• Can you identify any of these stages in Psalm 23?
• If so, what does this say to you about God’s character and nature?
• How does that affect how you see your own relationship with Him?
• Spend time reflecting in prayer on verses 5 & 6 (Psalm 23).

Consciously choose to give any areas of fear attached to your most prevalent storm to God. Repent of having given into this fear. Ask Him to fill your whole body afresh with the perfect love of His Spirit today.

Rededicate your body as a spiritual temple, the house of the Lord. May it be His dwelling place forever.