Psalm 23

Hope everyone is doing well in home isolation.    Last week I commented on our attempt to grow some new grass in the back yard.  As I sit and perform countless lectures online for school in the basement, I can see the grass growing. This is the grass update for the week.  So, it turns out that when we planted the new seed in the nice good soil, we covered some of the seed with hay but not all of it because we ran out.   Guess what?   The seed that had the hay overlay is producing new grass, but not the unprotected seed. Oh, brother.  In doing research, it seems that you need hay everywhere as it keeps the grass moisturized, protects from too much rain, and keeps the birds away.

Adding to thoughts about grass and Jesus, new grass can’t grow well if the soil is bad, and new grass needs hay for protection.  We too need good spiritual soil and we too need protection. The amazing truth about God is that He loves to protect and care for his people. 

This makes me think of Jesus as reflected in David’s Psalm 23.  “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.”  Think about all the ways that Jesus shepherds us and protects us in this Psalm.  Some of them are, “he makes me lie down in green pastures, preparing a table before me in the presence of my enemies, and my cup overflows.”  My favorite line is, “even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff they comfort me.”   On this side of heaven, we are always in the shadow of death, and for sure we feel it more now than ever.  Never fear, Jesus is still shepherding us and he does everything in some way to comfort us.  He is our protection.  In fact, our ultimate protection is the cross, where Jesus defeated death, atoned for our sins, and set us free from the tyranny of the devil.       

I am sure no-one is really interested in grass right now. I am only interested because I look out at it every day, and it is reminding me of God’s faithfulness to me in Jesus.    We need to continue to take refuge in the Good Shepherd.  He is our protection.  David says it best at the end of 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 forever.”   Surely, God is protecting us right now.

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, thank you for protecting us.  Thank you for Jesus, our Good Shepherd who came to earth, lived and died for us, and rose again, and sits at your right hand now praying for us.  Thank you for the Spirit who helps us now to walk and grow in Christ.  Help us in our unbelief and help us to follow the lead of our Shepherd.   Hallowed be thy name.

In Jesus Name,

Amen.