“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters” Psalm 23:1-2 (NKJV).
The shepherd’s staff is more than just a tool for guiding sheep; it is also used to rescue those caught in snares. Interestingly, the shepherd’s hook can serve as a weapon to protect the flock from danger. In the same way, as a child of God, you have a Good Shepherd. He knows all things, plans with intention, and desires to lead you even more than you want to be led.
In today’s anchor text, King David describes God as a Shepherd who provides, satisfies, and leads him. David also started as a Shepherd and knew what it meant to take responsibility for sheep. His eulogy in Psalm 23 was based on a deep understanding of God’s readiness and ability to lead His people.
God’s providence is not just in His ability to instruct you on how you should go. He also wants to hold you by the hand and guide you through your daily decisions and experiences. In the same way David was there for his father’s sheep and delivered them from the Bear and the Lion (1 Samuel 17:34-36), God desires to lead and defend you. The cross proves that He would go all the way to ensure your safety (John 10:11).
God primarily leads you by His word (Psalm 119:105). The written word is the believer’s final authority, and everything is subject to it. Another way He leads is by the inward witness (Romans 8:16). This is an inward impression by the Spirit that tells you if something is God’s will. Also, as evidenced in scripture, He leads by dreams and visions (Job 33:14-15).
Furthermore, Godly counsel can also come from believers around you. Exodus 18:14-24 is a classic example of how Godly counsel from Moses’ father-in-law led him to choose elders who shared the burden of leadership with him.
Finally, you can be led by supernatural coincidences. In 1 Samuel 10:1-9, when Prophet Samuel met Saul, he foretold a series of events that would happen that day to prove that God had chosen him to be king of Israel.
Dear friend, God has provided for you so that you will never miss your way in a world full of diverse options. You have a Good Shepherd interested in your life’s tiniest detail and always desires to lead you.
Bible Reading Plan: Job 21-22; 1 Thessalonians 4: 1-18