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Jehovah Ro’hi – The Lord is My Shepherd

A passage that is familiar to many is Psalm 23. It is a beautiful description of God as our Shepherd. Do you remember learning it as a child? It has been a comfort to many of us during our most difficult seasons of life.

But have you wondered why God refers to us as sheep? How are we alike?

Sheep

For one thing, we struggle as humans with our mob instincts, our fears, our stubbornness, and our stupidity. Here’s a short video I found that pretty much describes many of us.
https://youtu.be/JwU65uLjakw

I see myself sometimes like that sheep who gets rescued from the pit and then immediately jumps right back in! Aren’t we thankful God doesn’t say, “Well, this is the last time, Sheep! I’m finished helping you out!” Our Shepherd is full of compassion for each of His sheep.

Valley

Also in Psalm 23, we read about the valley of the shadow of death. But have you noticed the way to get closer to God always leads THROUGH the valleys in life? The valleys of life are where God Himself meets us with the refreshment we need at the moment. The valleys are carved and cut into each of our lives by various experiences. And in those cuts and carvings, God blesses us. Blessings we never would have experienced without Him and without the valley.

Think for a moment about the cuts and carvings in your life – the valleys, the dark times, the difficulties. What has come from them? One thing my children and I have declared through our grief journey is that we look forward to the times when we can bless others who are struggling. I see this compassion and empathy in my children as they are moving into adulthood. They are using those blessings to make them be a blessing to others.

Our Shepherd

In the New Testament, there is another familiar passage about our Shepherd. We know He is a Good Shepherd because we read about His care in John 10.

As I read this passage, I stopped at verse 16. Here he mentions a sheepfold. Having never been around a farm much, I don’t have any experience in the area of sheep. In high school, I had friends in 4H so I went to see their sheep on display. I mistook the male for a mama! So when I say I have not been around a farm much, you understand! I had to do a little research on sheepfolds. I found that sheepfolds are similar to what we might call a corral. The purpose is protection.

In some ways, we are so stubborn we build our OWN folds, unhappy with the fold our Shepherd has provided. We prance around our self-made fold, fooling ourselves into believing we are safe in our little domain. No one can get me, we say. No one can hurt me, we think. But by excluding my Heavenly Father, MY Shepherd, I am invaded by all kinds of false ideas.

What might some of those false ideas be?

• False teachings
• Unbiblical ideologies
• Worldly values
• Standards of behavior
• Humanistic philosophies
• Materialistic concepts
• Selfish aims and ambitions

And when we build our own folds, we forfeit the best, the richest values our Good Shepherd intended for us.

Who is the only one who truly has the right to manage the fold of my life? It isn’t myself but God, MY Shepherd.

1 Peter 2:25 from the NLT says:

Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.

I believe that verse sums up everything we need to know about El Ro’hi – the Lord is Shepherd. Our Shepherd is the Guardian of our souls. God is deeply concerned about me.

God calls Himself MY shepherd and wants me to think of myself as HIS sheep and the object of His affection and attention.

Lord, thank You for these beautiful descriptions of Your character from Scripture. You are trustworthy as our Shepherd and You lead us through the valleys of life. Help us turn to You as the Guardian of our souls. Amen

If you want more information on being a follower of Christ as your Shepherd, click the link here and read about what the Bible says about salvation. Then email us to tell us you have made the decision to follow Christ in accepting Him as your Savior.