Today’s scripture reading is Psalm 23.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. -Psalm 23:1-2 KJV
Anytime I preach or teach on the 23rd Psalm, I re-read a book by Phillip Keller entitled, “A Shepherd’s Look at Psalm 23.” He interprets the psalm through the lens of a shepherd, someone acquainted with raising sheep.
One of the things that always sticks out for me is Keller’s assertion that sheep will only lie down when four things have been removed: fear, friction, flies, and famine.
FEAR. If sheep are afraid of a predator, they won’t lie down. Similarly, Keller writes, we won’t lie down if we have fears: fears of what other people think of us, fears of what might happen if we don’t work longer, harder, and faster than everyone else, etc..
FRICTION: Sheep are social animals and if there is any friction in the flock, if sheep are being pestered by other sheep, they will not lie down. Likewise, when we are experiencing conflict of some kind or another, we find it difficult to lie down and rest as well.
FLIES: If sheep are being irritated or bitten by flies or a parasite of some kind, they won’t lie down. In the same way, if there are external irritants in our lives that are annoying us, we’ll spend more time swatting and fretting than lying and resting.
FAMINE: If sheep are hungry, the urge to eat will always be stronger than the urge to rest. If you and I have deep needs that have not been met, we’ll also find it difficult to stop until those needs have been satisfied.
Psalm 23 reminds you that the Lord is your shepherd and you are the Lord’s sheep. May God grant you the grace to receive some much needed peace and rest today, trusting that the Shepherd can handle your fears, your frictions, your flies, and your deepest needs.
