“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” –Psalm 23:6.I hope you have enjoyed this seven-day journey with me through the Shepherd Psalm. These comments have barely touched the surface of the depth of meaning in the Psalm. I hope you will continue to study it and especially use it as one of your “life passages” to bring encouragement and hope to your life. As sheep securely in the Good Shepherd’s fold, we will focus today’s thoughts on His goodness, His mercy, and His provision for this life and eternity.
The sheep under the management of a good shepherd were fortunate, indeed. The shepherd diligently saw to their care, their health, their feeding, every aspect of their welfare. In turn, they gave back to him: wool from their fleece, meat for his table, money from the sale of some of the flock. There was mutual benefit: as the shepherd cared well for his own, so the sheep reciprocated with good yield for the shepherd. The goodness of the Good Shepherd was reflected in His well-cared for flock. The Shepherd’s mercy—unmerited favor—was always extended to the sheep, without fail. Even if they went temporarily astray, He took his rod and staff and rescued them, even as God does for us. And the sheep would stay with the Good Shepherd in this life and forever—even in eternity, especially in eternity.
I want to close out this series on the 23rd psalm by giving a very personal testimony about how the psalm has encouraged me. I memorized it as a very young child, soon after I became a Christian at age nine. I would often go to sleep quoting the Psalm. I did not always understand it (nor have I plumbed its depths, even now!), but it gave me a sense of belonging to God and of His care for me. When I was fourteen, my mother died. It was a traumatic time for me. But with God’s help, I did not become bitter but relied more and more on His guidance. The Good Shepherd was walking through that valley with me. In my college life, it was often a struggle to have the money to pay tuition and board, but always my needs were provided. I was able to realize a career and calling in the paths of righteousness. God sent me a wonderful companion, and I loved being a minister’s wife and teacher. Once at a conference a wise leader told us to “rewrite” Psalm 23 according to our occupation. I wrote my version: “The Lord is my Teacher; I shall not want for knowledge.” In my adult life, I have faced illnesses of a life-threatening nature. In particular, as the gurney wheeled me to the operating room for aneurysm surgery in January 2000 and for five bypasses heart surgery in August, 2007, I was quoting Psalm 23 as I went to surgery. I felt the presence of Christ the Good Shepherd as he walked alongside me, holding my hand. I knew I was a winner either way: If I survived traumatic surgery, lived, God had not finished with me yet. He would still show His goodness and mercy to me and allow me to be productive in some area of His work. If I died, I would be swept from this finite realm to be instantaneously with Him “in the house of the Lord forever.” How can I not love Psalm 23? It has been and is my life passage. Glory to God for giving this Psalm and its promises to us!
c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Tuesday, June 8, 2010
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