Good morning,
My shepherd!
(Frank Hall)
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1
The Lord Jesus is everything to my needy soul!
He is my majestic King, the imperial one who graciously rules my heart and my life with His sovereign scepter of righteousness.
He is my Prophet, the one who effectually teaches God’s Word to my soul.
He is my great High Priest, my Mediator, the one who intercedes with God on my behalf.
And He is Jehovah-Rohi, the LORD my Shepherd! My glorious Shepherd is He who graciously forces my soul to lie down and rest in the green pastures of God’s goodness and love. He ever leads my soul beside the still waters of satisfaction, peace, and prosperity.
When, in selfishness, carnality and sin, my flesh is smitten with desire for the poisonous fodder of this decaying world, and I wander from Him–He does not cast me off. Rather, He faithfully corrects my sin and graciously restores my soul to Himself. He perpetually leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. All this and more, my merciful Shepherd does for me freely by His grace! My Shepherd surpasses, in every way and at all times, all the would-be shepherds of this world.
Never slumbering, He protects me perfectly from all harm with His omnipotent hand of sovereign power! He feeds, sustains, and fills my hungering soul out of the abundance of His infinite store! Though . . .
the way is rough and long,
the path winding and narrow,
the days dark and dismal,
the valleys bleak and dreary
–He gently leads me in infinite mercy and unfailing wisdom, ever guiding me to that land above that abounds with milk and honey!
Brothers and sisters, our Shepherd will stop at nothing to bring every one of His beloved sheep home to Heaven. He says of Himself, “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” Oh precious revelation of grace!
Sheep of His fold, I urge you to pause and consider the death of the good Shepherd! Behold with wonder the sacrifice of your Shepherd! He died–that you might live forever! He esteems us more precious than His own life! Oh blessed Shepherd, thank You for taking our sins to Yourself and putting them away by Your own precious blood. Children of God, let us ever sing with brother David, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want!“
Christ’s sheep lack nothing for time and eternity–because He is their all-sufficient Shepherd. “For from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace!” The Lord our Shepherd will withhold no good thing from the sheep of His pasture. In Him we have all the fullness of God’s free salvation, which can never be lost.
“We shall not want!“ We receive the fullness of His grace in time, because we possessed that very same fullness in Him from the foundation of the world. We are the possessors of . . .
everlasting life,
perfect righteousness,
eternal redemption,
pardon from all our sin,
impeccable holiness,
unending peace, and
unalterable acceptance with God our Father!
We lack nothing, because in Him we have all things. His boundless provision for our souls has no end. His provision is perfect, infinite, and everlasting. God help us to depend on Him . . .
His fullness,
His mercy,
His grace,
His power,
His all-sufficiency as the Lord our Shepherd.
“My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Jesus Christ!”
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need!”
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Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com
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