The twenty-third Psalm is a picture of the abundant life. David identified God as his personal God, not just as the God of the nation of Israel. As with David, we need to identify Him as our personal God, not just the God of the church. We need to become like sheep before Him. Sheep are not the smartest animals – we cannot rely on our own wisdom just like a sheep cannot rely on his own.
Predators of the sheep (the lion, the bear) look for lambs that have gone off on their own for dinner. The sheep aren’t smart enough on their own to look out for predators or danger, but the good shepherd will look after the flock and pull back the lambs that go off on their own.
God leads us beside still waters for our safety and benefit. Sheep cannot handle being near rushing water, such as a river. They will fall in and be swept away. Instead, the good shepherd brings waters his sheep in a safe place.
Key Scriptures: Psalm 23
