Experiencing God's Power and Presenceናሙና

In Times of Crisis

Taking out the garbage always fell to the youngest kid in my family. That was the lowest job. But in an ancient Hebrew family, the lowest job was watching the sheep. A shepherd had to stay with them, provide for their needs, protect them, and lead them. David, the youngest son of Jesse, who became king of Israel and wrote Psalm 23, knew a lot about shepherding firsthand.

David knew that sheep are among the densest animals God has made. They are slow, easily frightened, defenseless, and rarely able to find food or water on their own. They need a shepherd to dam up a stream so the sound of its flow doesn’t frighten them, to lead them to new pastures after they’ve eaten grass down to its roots, and to protect them from predators and their own lack of survival skills. Without a shepherd, danger plus sheep equals death. With a shepherd, sheep can enjoy green pastures, drink from quiet waters, and live in safety.

That’s the picture David gives us of the relationship between God and his people in Psalm 23. The concept was probably pretty surprising to its first readers—God with a lowly job taking care of some of creation’s lowest animals. But a shepherd watching out for his helpless sheep is a tender, intimate image of compassion and care. This is the kind of relationship God wants with us, and it’s exactly the kind of relationship we need, especially in a crisis. 

Notice that David doesn’t say, “The Lord is the shepherd.” He says, “The Lord is my shepherd.” This God is personal—not only the high and holy God of majesty but the present, protective God of every detail of our lives. He cares for, understands, nourishes, and loves his sheep. He wants us to depend on him for everything.

Jesus cast himself in this role of the “good shepherd” (John 10:11) because he wants us to be confident that he is committed to meeting every physical, emotional, and spiritual need we might have. He cares more than we can imagine. He knows every pain, problem, and fear, and he wants to lead us into safe pastures. Even in our worst crises, we can trust him with our lives.