Guided By Your Good Shepherd

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Four weeks after having my third baby, I was admitted to the hospital for mysterious stomach pain. For five long days, my body was poked, prodded, and tested as doctors searched for the root cause of my illness. After I was finally discharged, the dark clouds of depression overshadowed my soul. During this season, I clung to every word in Psalm 23 like a lifeboat. For months I rehearsed each verse of this psalm, etching it deeper into the grooves of my mind.

Psalm 23 was more than a comforting blanket to wrap my shivering soul in; it was oxygen to my spiritual lungs that were struggling to breathe. One day I wrote this psalm in my own words as a raw declaration to my heart that my Shepherd will never leave my side.

At some point, shadows will inevitably darken the path we take. But the Good Shepherd never leaves his sheep to fend for themselves (see John 10:14-15).

Read the words of my paraphrase slowly. Allow God’s Word to soothe your soul with the gospel promise that Jesus, the Good Shepherd, protects you, defends you, cares for you, and invites you to find rest in him.

The Lord is my Shepherd; I lack no good thing. In the morning, in the evening, in the darkness of the night, and in the middle of the day, he is with me—even when I don’t feel his presence.

He makes me lie down in green pastures, even when I don’t want to stop and rest. He knows what’s best, even when I think I know better. He invites me to embrace my limits and enjoy shelter in his tender care. He leads me beside still waters; he refreshes my worn-out soul.

He leads me on the roadway of righteousness toward his eternal Kingdom—all for his name’s sake. Everything my Shepherd does is according to his character. He never contradicts himself, and he is always good. As I walk these winding, lonely paths, I encounter shadows that threaten my peace and joy. They are terrifying in the moment, but they are just shadows. A shadow can’t hurt me when I’m covered by God’s grace.

So I won’t fear evil, because my Good Shepherd is with me. He comforts me, corrects me, and restores me with his rod and his staff. He even prepares a feast for me at his table in the presence of my enemies! The truest feast is found in his presence. His Word nourishes my soul.

Surely his goodness and his mercy will chase after me and accompany me on this journey—every day, every moment, every second of my life. One day I will dwell with him forever in the new heaven and new earth, where there are no more dark shadows, where there is no more fear or pain (see Revelation 21:1-4).

Until then, I’ll walk with my Shepherd, follow my Shepherd, and trust my Shepherd, who became like me, a sheep—the Lamb who was slain for my redemption (see John 1:29; Revelation 13:8). There’s no greater love than my Shepherd’s love and no greater sacrifice than his (see John 15:13).

Yes, the Lord is my Shepherd. I lack no good thing, because I have everything I need in him.

Word before World Jesus is our Good Shepherd, who provides for and cares for his beloved sheep.

Grow in Grace Set aside five to ten minutes to feast your mind on Psalm 23 and find rest for your soul. You might even paraphrase the psalm in your own words, like I did.