The Good and Faithful Shepherd
A devotional by Jennifer Reese
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
—Psalm 23:1-6 (ESV)
How often have you found yourself in seasons and circumstances of concern, uncertainty, frustration, or confusion?
If your life’s journey has been anything like mine, I would guess you have also found yourself in such seasons and circumstances far more often than you would like. I can honestly say that as much as I want to know all the details of my life and how things will play out, I equally do not truly want to know because much of the excitement and potential to grow and take risks would be lost.
When looking at Psalm 23, one thing that stands out to me about God’s character is His being present. We see that Jesus Christ is the Shepherd who remains close by and who leads us, His sheep, along the way. Jesus is the Shepherd who always looks after us and provides for our every need. He is the Shepherd who walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death. Jesus can calm our fears. No other person and no other shepherd could ever begin to compare to Him.
A further question arises as we focus on these truths about God’s omnipotence: “Why is it so challenging to believe in the depth of our soul that He is truly the good and faithful shepherd?”
It is so easy for us to know with our minds that the Lord is good, faithful, and always present with us, seeking to always provide the best care for us. However, when we pause and truly reflect on our actions and our lives, the opposite is what is often being communicated and believed.
We sit in seasons of unknowns and battle anxieties about how everything will turn out. In other seasons, we sit in distress and anger because we see the evil one “winning”. We regularly question the purpose of certain circumstances because we cannot grasp their benefit to our lives or how they will work out for our good and God’s glory. Our functional theology can easily show where our souls are still walking in disbelief or uncertainty about our good and perfect Shepherd.
So then, how do we begin to connect the knowledge in our heads to the depths of our heart and soul? The simple answer is the only answer: by God’s grace and help alone. We need our good and faithful Shepherd to constantly remind us of how near He is in all times, of His desire to provide for our every need, and of His goodness and faithfulness to take care of us through every single season and circumstance we walk through.
As we walk day by day, what would it look like to pause and reflect on each of these verses in Psalm 23? Maybe it is taking a couple weeks to read only this Psalm and meditate on it verse by verse, identifying how you have seen the Lord show up in your life and/or current circumstances? Maybe it is taking the next month to use Psalm 23 as a prayer outline to offer up both thanksgiving and your circumstances to the Lord, trusting He is with you and cares about your heart’s concerns? Lastly, maybe it is sitting with the Lord and asking Him to soften your heart to fully believe that He is truly your good and faithful Shepherd and that you lack nothing.
I’m not sure where you find yourself today regarding this truth that the Lord is our Good and Faithful Shepherd and He is present with us always. I pray that you will consider it, reflect on it, and allow it to lead you to our Father.
Let’s Pray: Heavenly Father, thank You for being the One true good and faithful Shepherd, always present with me and always leading me. Thank You for the truth that you are the One I truly need—not answers and not changed circumstances. Please help me rest in your presence and to truly come to believe in the depths of my heart that You are good and your intentions for me are better than I can imagine. Please help me rest my soul in You alone and trust your guidance in all things. May my heart trust Your good and perfect wisdom and care so that I may truly walk in peace and hope every day. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
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Song of Reflection #1: “Shepherd” by City Alight. Listen to it here.
Song of Reflection #2: “Psalm 23” by Kathy Troccoli. Listen to it here.
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Author Bio:
Author Bio:
Jennifer Reese obtained a Bachelor of Social Work, a Master of Ministry in Intercultural Studies, and certifications in Biblical Counseling.
Her educational training has afforded Jennifer the opportunity to work with various populations—such as foster care and adoption, refugee women, homeless, under-resourced youth, international students, and local churches. It has been through these experiences that she has seen a need for women of all ages to understand their true identity as a child of God so they can experience the promised abundant life and freedom.
By working as a Biblical Counselor and Coach, Jennifer focuses on helping women and teen girls discover who God is and to know their true identity in Jesus Christ. Through her professional work and ministry, she helps people learn how to carry out their specific purpose and calling in building God’s Kingdom that is not of this world.
On a personal note, Jennifer and her husband recently welcomed their baby boy into the world and couldn’t be happier from enjoying all the newborn snuggles and learning his little personality! She is grateful for this precious gift from the Lord and is excited to begin learning how to faithfully walk in the ministry of motherhood. Jennifer also looks forward to seeing how this gift and new season will further enhance ministry opportunities with women as she continues to minister to them.
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Connect with Jennifer:
Website: www.rootedandfixed.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/rootedandfixed
Email address: rootedandfixed@gmail.com
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