Hi everyone! It’s been a while. Thanks for following my blog 🙂
A few days ago, I celebrated my birthday. Three decades worth of incredible life to celebrate. Three decades worth of ups and downs, hi’s and lows, mistakes and successes, right decisions and wrong ones. In the very same week, my youngest daughter decided that it was her time to shine and she stood up and started walking. It’s been a milestone week.
As I reflect on my season end, the end of my twenties and the end of my newborn baby season, I feel like I’m left floating in the valley of the unknown. What does this next season look like?
I wonder if you’ve ever asked yourself that question?
Why is it that the unfamiliar is so unbearable?
I often take moments like these to reflect on what God has done in my life. My heart is beating to the tune of this scripture at the moment.
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
Psalm 23 The Passion Translation (TPT)
The Good Shepherd
1 The Lord is my best friend and my shepherd.
I always have more than enough.
2 He offers a resting place for me in his luxurious love.
His tracks take me to an oasis of peace, the quiet brook of bliss.
3 That’s where he restores and revives my life.
He opens before me pathways to God’s pleasure
and leads me along in his footsteps of righteousness
so that I can bring honour to his name.
4 Lord, even when your path takes me through
the valley of deepest darkness,
fear will never conquer me, for you already have!
You remain close to me and lead me through it all the way.
Your authority is my strength and my peace.
The comfort of your love takes away my fear.
I’ll never be lonely, for you are near.
5 You become my delicious feast
even when my enemies dare to fight.
You anoint me with the fragrance of your Holy Spirit;
you give me all I can drink of you until my heart overflows.
6 So why would I fear the future?
For your goodness and love pursue me all the days of my life.
Then afterward, when my life is through,
I’ll return to your glorious presence to be forever with you!
I’ve been doing a study on this scripture and reflecting on it for a few months now. It’s a scripture that we know well, but it’s often misunderstood. I feel that God has shown me a different perspective in this deeply profound text and I would love to share a bit of it with you.
Psalm 23:1 – The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
Have you ever studied the character of a Shepherd?
A shepherd cares for His flock, He protects, leads, guides and watches over the sheep. A shepherds life is spent leading and guiding the sheep into green pastures. I love this image of our God. He is invested in us. Our Shepherd, The Good Shepherd, names us, leads us, protects us, watches over us and He even gave His life for us. Often we overlook this very nurturing, gentle aspect of our Father. And yet He so desperately wants you to know Him as the One who cares so deeply for you.
The valley of the unknown can be unbearably scary when we tackle it in our own strength, but when we lean into The Shepherd and allow His guiding hand to show us the way forward – the unknown can become unbelievably beautiful.
We dont always have to know the way forward, but as we seek the Lord and rest in His guidance, provision and His protection – we shall not live in want, but rather in a place of willingness to wait and see what the Lord has planned for us.
If I could present to you today, a thought for consideration – one that has marked my entire existence – it would be this: Run hard after God, dear friend – like a runaway train with failed brakes. Pursue Him and don’t stop. Search, seek, ask – make it your mission to know Him more and you will be delighted to find a Shepherd who would leave the ninety nine just to find you. You’ll be overwhelmed with deep truth as your soul connects with its Maker. Our spirits recognise the Shepherd because our hearts were made to know Him. We were made to live in covenant life with our Shepherd – the One who loves, cares for and watches over us.
I pray that you would begin to discover the Lord as your Shepherd, personally, deeply and intimately.
He is faithful. Forever.