Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, [a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.
So last night, I came home from hanging out with an old friend. It had unfortunately been a long time since I’d seen him, and even longer since we’ve had any deep conversations. I came home last night with the knowledge that God had answered many prayers in the form of hanging out with him. Something I didn’t see coming at all.
Then I started thinking about Psalm 23 for some reason. Generally speaking, when I think of this passage, words like, “comfort”, “guidance”, and “safety” come to mind. But last night, another adjective, a much different one in fact, surfaced to my attention. “Stupid.” That’s right.
Now, I’m no zoologist by any means, but it’s no secret that sheep aren’t exactly the smartest mammals around. Not only that, but sheep are known for their “follow the leader” mentality. They need to be lead. Either way, what’s striking about this Psalm, is that in the grand comparison of God Almighty to the human race, God is a human, and we’re an animal. We’re not on the same playing field.
I can’t help but think that it stands to reason that there are some obvious differences in capabilities when you make such a comparison. Humans (God), have the ability to reason, think, process, and use wisdom to make decisions and theories above that of animals, and much more so sheep. And let’s face it, the very reason why a shepherd is needed to guide the sheep is because they can’t take care of themselves very well. Shepherds can see things that the sheep can’t, and they act accordingly. Shepherds see the needs of the sheep, and take care of them – most likely in ways the sheep never would have ever been able to predict.
See, I had been praying for more an accountability partner for a while now. Someone to pray with, share with, talk with. Someone who can understand my position in life, and encourage me toward love and good deeds. I don’t necessarily know where things are headed after last night, but I do know God provided. I thought I knew what I needed, and who I needed. But God saw someone different, and worked things out. He took care of me in a way I would have never been able to predict. I never saw it coming.
So, for those of you who are praying prayers and aren’t seeing any results, remember that God is able to take care of you in ways you don’t understand. You won’t always be able to understand how He’s working, or where He’s working. We’re sheep. He’s not. Let’s follow the leader.