Psalm 23 is probably the most well known Bible verse. It's among one of the first passages that children learn in Sunday school and is often the passage that adults then turn to for comfort. It can guide us through life, and it's a comfort to my heart to KNOW that I have a Shepherd in Jesus Christ. Now, if I'm willing to accept that I have a shepherd then I must also be willing to accept that I am one of His sheep.
That's sometimes difficult for people to accept this fact, that we are sheep. Sheep are not known for being the smartest creatures or the strongest of creatures. In fact, sheep are helpless creatures that need constant care and supervision.
God likens us to these helpless animals in Isaiah 53:6, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." So if indeed we are sheep, then there is no greater undertaking to accomplish than to know our Shepherd.
Within the sheepfold of humanity, there are only two kinds of sheep: those who are saved and those who are lost. And within the realm of the sheep who have been saved, there are those who stay close to the Shepherd and those who stray from His protection. I prefer to stick close!
John 10:27 says, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." God will always lead us in the right direction if we learn of Him and listen to Him. When I got saved I made a decision right then and there, that I would learn as much as I could about Jesus Christ and the Word of God. I never want to be led astray away from my Lord and the best way to prevent that from happening is to read the Bible daily, talk with God daily, and strive to hear His voice and understand His direction. It is so comforting to me that Jesus KNOWS me and KNOWS my name! In fact, He knows me better than anyone on this earth, ever! And...He loves me, more than any love I could ever know from another person. He loves me despite me being a sinner!
My only regret so far in my life is that I wasn't saved a year ago. I was so lost when my father died last year and I was not able to offer anything to him during his last days except my presence and even that was weak. He was frightened and I was frightened. I could tell by looking at his face those last days that he was not at peace and was scared. I'm a doctor and was panicking because I couldn't help him or fix him. I just didn't know Jesus Christ then and had nothing more to offer my father. I don't know if my dad was saved or not.
I have made a vow that I don't want anyone I know or meet to not have the opportunity to know Jesus Christ, and to accept Him as our perfect Savior...our loving Shepherd that gives us everything we could possibly need in this life. There is coming a day...when it will matter.
Psalm 48:14 "For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death."
~ excerpts taken from the book "The Heart of the Shepherd" by Stephen Chappell
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