“The Lord Is My Shepherd”

"The Lord is my Shepherd."   So begins Psalm 23.  It is a psalm of comfort during times of sadness and anxiety.  Let us consider a few points.

"The Lord" is my Shepherd, not man.  It is not in man to direct his own steps, let alone those of another (Jeremiah 10:23).  Spiritually, we must ultimately look to Christ, the Chief Shepherd of our souls, for guidance (Hebrews 12:1-2;  1 Peter 5:4).  He is divine, having no flaws in His judgments.

The Lord "is" my Shepherd, not "was" my Shepherd.   Some people who once trusted in the Lord as their Shepherd no longer do so.   They no longer "hear" His voice, nor "follow" Him (John 10:27).  Rather, they hear and follow the world.

The Lord is "my" Shepherd, personally.  Yes, Jesus is the Shepherd of all who hear and follow Him.   However, it is also true He knows each one of His sheep in a personal way.   The hairs on their heads are all numbered (Luke 12:7).

What a blessing to be able to honestly and confidently say, "The Lord is my Shepherd."   Is the Lord your Shepherd?

- Steven F. Deaton

Post-Sin Provisions

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin.  But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense–Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.  He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:1-2).

Have you ever done something that damaged a relationship that you had with someone?  Have you ever done or said something that as soon as you did or said it, you knew just how hurtful it was?  Can you recall the feeling that you got in that moment?  It’s guilt and frustration, sadness and disappointment.  You wish you could take it back, but it’s too late, and you have to live with the consequences.

Sin fits that description perfectly.  Often, as soon as you sin you regret it; but you have already damaged the most precious of relationships – the one you have with God.  While a friendship you’ve just hurt may never recover fully, thanks be to God that provisions have been made to help you get things back on track.

Essentially it boils down to the following conclusion.  While it’s not okay to sin, God knows that you have; while it’s not the end of the world, it could be very soon.  We have a God who understands perfectly who we are.  He knew that we would fall.  He knows that we continue to need help.  Therefore, because He loves us, He made provisions for us, so that those who love Him might mend any damage they have caused to their relationship with Him.  When you sin, open yourself up to those feelings of godly sorrow.  Follow His commandments, and be confident that Jesus “is the atoning sacrifice for [your] sins.”

- Jason Budd

White-Washed Tombs

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness" (Matthew 23:27).

If you hadn’t noticed, it has snowed quite a bit recently.  Yesterday and today when looking outside I couldn’t help but remark how beautiful everything looked!  The white, uninterrupted plains of snow have a purity and cleanliness about them.  The unblemished levels of white snow shine brilliantly from the sun.

Unfortunately, this elegance doesn’t last long.  As the reality of life and the necessity to go about our regular activities emerges to the surface of our priorities, so does the purity of the landscape get pierced and plowed in a removal effort.  As this happens, things turn from the sterile white to a very dirty brown.  The solid, shapely sheets of snow are ambushed to reveal the true color of what lies beneath.  The snow is no longer an icon of relaxation, but of the dread of travel.

When Jesus spoke to the Pharisees in the passage above, He was trying to plow through the clean appearance they gave off.  He knew that underneath they were not being true to the people around them, or even themselves.  While they pretended to be examples of righteousness, buried below were envious and self-righteous people who used the law, not for justification, but for their own corrupt interpretations and practices.  Jesus brought forth the reality of who they were.

Take this as an opportunity to analyze yourself.  What impressions do you give off to the world?  Are they accurate?  Are you a white-washed tomb?  A muddy street covered in snow?  What would Jesus say to you?

- Jason Budd

Wounds From A Friend

"Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses" (Proverbs 27:6).

Has a friend of yours ever come up to you and said, "Hey, I have to talk to you about something"?   That’s happened to me.  Don’t your ears immediately shoot up?  If you’re not careful, your mind is already marching onto the defensive.  You’re wondering what they’re going to say.  You’re thinking, "If they want to do this in private, then it can’t be good."

How sad is this reaction?  Are we really so fragile that we are afraid of a little criticism?  As Christians, we should be used to constructive criticism.  Our religion started with the criticism of the world, and our personal decision to follow Christ most likely came shortly after some of the most intense criticism from ourselves and others that we had ever experienced.

So what we have to realize, and what this proverb is teaching, is that when a friend comes to you to talk about you, and it isn’t all positive, you better believe that (1) they mean it and (2) it was likely very hard for them to do so.  The other side of the proverb, which we can’t ignore, is that sometimes the most dangerous person for our souls is he who never corrects us and never says a critical word.  We must know that we are imperfect, because that is the basis of our discipleship to Christ.  So you have to wonder, if this person hides from me even my most fundamental flaws, what else is he hiding?

Be true to yourself and to your friends, and help each other get to heaven, even when it’s uncomfortable.

- Jason Budd