Psalm 23:2-3 (NRSVue) - He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.
Recently, I attended the funeral service of a family member.
The message at the service was one of hope.
This brought Psalm 23 to mind where the Psalmist writes of the Divine Shepherd.
Verse two and three were good reminders for me.
There are times I do not wish to rest, but the Shepherd makes me.
There are times when I desire excitement, but the Shepherd guides me to stillness.
There are times when I feel overwhelmed, but the Shepherd restores both mind and body.
And there are times I want to go my own way, but the Shepherd puts me on the right path.
In 1 Peter, we are told of Christ’s suffering and the reason for it.
1 Peter 2:25 (NRSVue) - For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
When we go astray, the Divine Shepherd guides us to the place He desires for us.
There, we can find true happiness.
There, we can find true tranquility.
I wrote my first devotional fifteen years ago.
In it, I wrote that being called a sheep is not necessarily a compliment.
Sheep are stubborn and willful at times,
That is why we need a Divine Shepherd to guard our souls and our lives,
Once we allow the Divine Shepherd to guide us, our lives are forever transformed.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com on Friday, January 17, 2025.
I will be back here on Friday, January 24, 2025
