Psalm 23 Part 5 - A Shepherd's Comfort
"Your rod and your staff, they comfort me," (NASB, Psalm 23:4)
"Your rod and your staff, they protect me," (CEB)
"Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me," (AMP)
It's funny what brings comfort to a sheep.
But before I get into the rod and the staff, let me tell you what doesn't bring comfort to a sheep: independence.
Sheep FREAK OUT when they feel alone. Total panic. And they feed off the panic of others. They are dead in the water without a shepherd and they know it.
And as much as you long for independence right now, let me assure you: you do not want independence from your Shepherd. You were created to depend on Him. You cannot make it without Him. You will FREAK OUT in this world without the love, protection, and comfort of your Shepherd. He is the only one who has overcome this world (John 16:33) and He is the only one who can always be with you (Matthew 28:20). So as you walk down the path toward independence from your parents, from homework and papers, from your "kid" life to your "adult" life, learn to depend on Christ Jesus. You, too, are dead in the water without your Shepherd. You NEED Him. Admit it. Live it.
Now, back to the story :)
A rod and a staff are two different tools used by Shepherds. Each has specific uses and each play a huge role in a Shepherd's ability to shepherd well.
The rod is a thick stick (about as big around as your arm) that would come to your thigh if one end of it were sitting on the ground. At one end it is ball-shaped, carved expertly to be about the size of a man's fist.
The rod is used A) As a weapon, thrown or used like a club, against predators; B) As a tool to punish wayward sheep; and C) As a tool to help separate sheep when counting or checking them for injuries. (You'd use it to hold back one that you had already examined or counted.) The rod is an instrument of authority.
The staff, on the other hand, is the tool you see in pictures of shepherds: long and skinny, taller than the shepherd, with a hook on the end. (This is usually what the shepherds are carrying in Christmas nativity scenes.) The staff is not a weapon; it's a comforting tool. It's used to keep sheep together, to guide them on a certain path, or to pick them up (with the hook) and move them from a dangerous place. The staff is an instrument of support.
(Source for information about rod and staff: http://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/1614/rod-and-staff-psalm-23)
So David the psalmist found comfort not only in a tool that would pick him up and out of trouble, but also punish him when he was disobedient, guide him firmly on a certain path, and keep him with a flock when he may want to be alone.
You're big girls. You can see the parallels :)
So I'll just ask you:
Are you comforted by God's protection, knowing that sometimes it means needing the constant companionship and presence of others who are also imperfect, needy sheep?
Are you accepting, and even thankful, for God's discipline and punishment, knowing that He is saving you from dangers you cannot see and that any pain He leads you through is for your good?
Will you admit that your life is better when you follow His lead and His path, and therefore stop pulling away from the staff that's pressing into your side, leading you where you need (not want) to go?
Can you believe by faith that only if you are close to the Shepherd, dependent on Him, can He comfort you, snatch you out of harm's way, and guide your every step?
Honestly?
"Your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
Do they?
If you don't feel His protection and comfort, I would suggest it's time to run back to the Shepherd, telling Him how much you need Him and admitting how much you're prone to wander.
He wants you back in the flock.
And when you come back to Him, He will protect you and comfort you.
I dare you to ask your mentor to tell you some stories of God's protection and comfort. Not always easy, not always fun, not always green pastures.
But once you've learned to trust the Shepherd, you'll never want to be out of His flock again.
Thanks for subscribing by email! If you haven't yet, please do so at the top right corner.
And thanks for following me! I will continue to speak truth and pray you are blessed by God's Word. @leslienotebook
And, as always, please email me if you have anything you want to talk about! myleslienotebook@gmail.com
"Your rod and your staff, they protect me," (CEB)
"Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me," (AMP)
It's funny what brings comfort to a sheep.
But before I get into the rod and the staff, let me tell you what doesn't bring comfort to a sheep: independence.
Sheep FREAK OUT when they feel alone. Total panic. And they feed off the panic of others. They are dead in the water without a shepherd and they know it.
And as much as you long for independence right now, let me assure you: you do not want independence from your Shepherd. You were created to depend on Him. You cannot make it without Him. You will FREAK OUT in this world without the love, protection, and comfort of your Shepherd. He is the only one who has overcome this world (John 16:33) and He is the only one who can always be with you (Matthew 28:20). So as you walk down the path toward independence from your parents, from homework and papers, from your "kid" life to your "adult" life, learn to depend on Christ Jesus. You, too, are dead in the water without your Shepherd. You NEED Him. Admit it. Live it.
Now, back to the story :)
A rod and a staff are two different tools used by Shepherds. Each has specific uses and each play a huge role in a Shepherd's ability to shepherd well.
The rod is a thick stick (about as big around as your arm) that would come to your thigh if one end of it were sitting on the ground. At one end it is ball-shaped, carved expertly to be about the size of a man's fist.
The rod is used A) As a weapon, thrown or used like a club, against predators; B) As a tool to punish wayward sheep; and C) As a tool to help separate sheep when counting or checking them for injuries. (You'd use it to hold back one that you had already examined or counted.) The rod is an instrument of authority.
The staff, on the other hand, is the tool you see in pictures of shepherds: long and skinny, taller than the shepherd, with a hook on the end. (This is usually what the shepherds are carrying in Christmas nativity scenes.) The staff is not a weapon; it's a comforting tool. It's used to keep sheep together, to guide them on a certain path, or to pick them up (with the hook) and move them from a dangerous place. The staff is an instrument of support.
(Source for information about rod and staff: http://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/1614/rod-and-staff-psalm-23)
So David the psalmist found comfort not only in a tool that would pick him up and out of trouble, but also punish him when he was disobedient, guide him firmly on a certain path, and keep him with a flock when he may want to be alone.
You're big girls. You can see the parallels :)
So I'll just ask you:
Are you comforted by God's protection, knowing that sometimes it means needing the constant companionship and presence of others who are also imperfect, needy sheep?
Are you accepting, and even thankful, for God's discipline and punishment, knowing that He is saving you from dangers you cannot see and that any pain He leads you through is for your good?
Will you admit that your life is better when you follow His lead and His path, and therefore stop pulling away from the staff that's pressing into your side, leading you where you need (not want) to go?
Can you believe by faith that only if you are close to the Shepherd, dependent on Him, can He comfort you, snatch you out of harm's way, and guide your every step?
Honestly?
"Your rod and your staff, they comfort me."
Do they?
If you don't feel His protection and comfort, I would suggest it's time to run back to the Shepherd, telling Him how much you need Him and admitting how much you're prone to wander.
He wants you back in the flock.
And when you come back to Him, He will protect you and comfort you.
I dare you to ask your mentor to tell you some stories of God's protection and comfort. Not always easy, not always fun, not always green pastures.
But once you've learned to trust the Shepherd, you'll never want to be out of His flock again.
Thanks for subscribing by email! If you haven't yet, please do so at the top right corner.
And thanks for following me! I will continue to speak truth and pray you are blessed by God's Word. @leslienotebook
And, as always, please email me if you have anything you want to talk about! myleslienotebook@gmail.com
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