THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD by J.R. Miller THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD
I HAVE EVERYTHING I NEED Psalm 23 verse 1 The Shepherd is a
favorite scriptural picture of the divine love and care. In the Old Testament, the 23rd
Psalm gathers the whole wonderful truth in exquisite lines, which
are dear to young and old wherever the Bible is known. Then, in
the New Testament, when our Lord would give His friends the sweetest
revealings of His heart toward them, and tell them what they
are to Him and what He would be to them, He says, I am the
Good Shepherd The Hebrew Shepherd lives with his sheep. If they
are out in the storm, he is with them. If they are exposed to
danger, so is he. Just so, Christ lives with his
people. He enters into closest relations
with them. The shepherd knows his sheep.
He has a name for each one, and calls them all by their names. Just so, Christ knows each one
of his friends, has intimate personal knowledge of each one.
He knows the best in us, and also the worst, our faults, our
sins, our wanderings. Yet, knowing us as we are, he
loves us still, and never wearies of us. The shepherd is most gentle
with his sheep. He does not drive them, but goes
before them and leads them. When they need rest on the way,
he makes them lie down, and chooses for their resting-place not the
dusty road, but green pastures. He is especially kind to the
lambs, gathers them in his arms, and carries them in his bosom. All this is an exquisite picture
of the gentleness of our good shepherd in his care of his sheep. He is thoughtful toward the weak. He loves the lambs and makes
room for them on his bosom. Whatever the need is, there is
something in the heart of Christ which meets its craving and supplies
its lack. The shepherd defends his flock
in all danger. Often he had to risk his own
safety, even his life, in protecting his sheep. Just so, the Good
Shepherd gives his life for his sheep. Christ's sheep are absolutely
safe in his keeping. I give unto them eternal life,
he said, and they will never perish, ever. No one will snatch
them out of my hand. Then at last he will bring his
own all safely home, and they shall become one flock, with
one shepherd.