“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4)
I don’t know many shepherds — especially ones from the time of King David, who wrote this psalm. I tend to think of shepherds as gentle souls who hang out on hillsides and babysit a bunch of fluffy, dumb animals. That’s wrong. Shepherds are wicked tough.
Listen to what David told Saul about his shepherding days: “When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear.” (1 Samuel 17:34-35)
Yikes! David was like some kind of ninja with that rod and staff. Don’t mess with shepherds! Speaking as sheep, David writes that our great shepherd — God — is strong enough to take on whatever evil might come our way. He’s tough enough that we can relax and munch on our grass and not worry. Trust your Shepherd to protect you.
Think: Do you ever think of God as being ready and willing to use His might against evil to protect you? Why or why not?
Pray: Thank God for His protection in your life against evil; ask Him to help you not to live with anxiety.
Do: Read 1 Samuel 17:34-37 to see why David said he was so good at defeating lions and bears in battle.