Our Shepherd
'The Lord is my shepherd' - Psalm 23:1a
- These words, so beloved by millions, may seem to be a standard Ancient Near Eastern metaphor. Actually, they are not.
In the Ancient Near East the gods were so remote that no one would say 'Marduk is my shepherd'! Instead, the king was the shepherd of his people. In the Bible, just the opposite is seen. God is the shepherd, not the kings. Jesus makes an amazing statement when He says 'I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep'. He claims to be The Lord of the Old Testament and that He will die for His people. His people are all those who trust that Christ died for our sins, that He was buried and that He rose again the third day.
When we believe and accept Him as our Lord and Saviour, then we become children of God. We discover that He is not remote but is our Heavenly Father. That is reassuring indeed!
Originally printed in the church bulletin Sept. 21, 2014.