Do You Know The Shepherd?

For today’s Sunday message, our church began a new series on The Book of Psalms, which is titled Songs in the Night – Finding God in the Highs and Lows. The word ‘Psalms’ is from the Greek word ‘psalmoi’  which means songs sung to a harp, or songs of praise. The book of Psalms is a collection of lyrical poems which engages in the various great themes of the Bible as well as it instructs us how to worship our Lord. Today’s message centered on he most famous Chapter of the Book of Psalm, which is the Chapter 23 (The Psalm of David). In this Psalm, David describes God as his Shepherd. Today’s message is a great reminder that our Heavenly Father is our Shepherd – That He is a God who always wants to best for us, who protects, guides and provides for us.

Psalm 23 (A Psalm of David)

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
3 He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.

4 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.

5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely[d] goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.

Discussion Questions:
1. Who/what has been your shepherd? Is it money, alcohol, drugs, career, computer gaming, social media fame?
2. How has God provided for and protected you during this COVID-19 pandemic?
3. What is the evidence that Jesus is your Shepherd?

1. Who/what has been your shepherd? Is it money, alcohol, drugs, career, computer gaming, social media fame?

I would say, it has been trying to please other people so I will receive good feedback or compliments about my work and about myself. I was so preoccupied of just trying my very best to please people that it actually just hurt me in the process. I learned that I cannot please people, and they will always have different opinions about me. When I accepted the truth that I am the child of God, people’s opinion about me no longer matter. I am now focused on meditating on His Word how to become a better person and I no longer fish for compliments. As long as the work I am doing is for the Lord, I know that I am doing the right thing.

2. How has God provided for and protected you during this COVID-19 pandemic?

Ever since the enhanced community quarantine began, I reflected on God’s faithfulness in our lives. It was really only because of God’s mercy and faithfulness in our lives that we are actually still joyful and loving despite being under the threat of COVID-19. His provisions for our family is more than enough that we are still able to share it to our relatives and this is only because of the grace of God, and nothing else. It was only because of God’s mercy and protection that we are all healthy.

God is indeed very faithful. Honestly, fear and uncertainty still lurks but God always remind us that we need to fully surrender all our worries to Him. This is always an everyday process, but we always know and we are always reminded that God will never leave us and His guidance and protection is always upon us.

3.    What is the evidence that Jesus is your Shepherd?

I don’t know what the future holds for my life. When I was still an unbeliever, I always try my best to plan for my future. I would create elaborate plans to achieve various things which I believe then will bring me happiness. I argued that only after planning and relying on myself will make me feel secured for my future. But this had only brought me nothing but pain and heartaches and those things that I thought would bring me happiness only brought me disappointment and more insecurity, and my future looks so bleak and miserable. But God is faithful. Pastor Peter mentioned earlier that “God loves you. He CHASES you because He wants to bless you.” I like this message. One of the best things I experienced in my Christian walk is I stopped worrying about my future. Our future in this world is always uncertain but one thing I am certain of is God is always there for me. I stopped relying on myself and on my own abilities to secure my future and started on trusting God. Our security is found only in Christ. This truth is what set me free from all the miseries and disappointments I felt before.