Psalm 23: Benefits Of Our Relationship With God Part 2
Scripture: Psalm 23
Introduction
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil…….”
In my message last week, I told you about the first eight benefits that we have because of our relationship with God. Those benefits include the fact that we are in a relationship with God where He is our shepherd. Because God is our shepherd, we have a supply source that is unbreakable; we receive rest and refreshment when we need it; and we have a road map for guidance in that God constantly guides us through His Holy Spirit for His Own purpose and benefit yet still ultimately for our good. Finally during times when we are being tempted and/or tested, we have protection and security. This morning we will return to Psalm 23 and complete our list of benefits. Benefits 9 and 10 tell us of God’s faithfulness and discipline.
Benefits #9 & 10: “Thy rod and Thy staff the comfort me.”
Faithfulness and Discipline
One of the tools that were a requirement for all shepherds was a rod or staff. This staff was used to provide discipline when the flock needed it, but it was more so used to protect the flock against predators. The most common shepherd staff was curved at the top. This allowed the shepherd to use the staff to pick up one of his/her sheep if they fell down. The curved part of the staff could easily loop around the neck of the sheep and lift it up. The sheep in return were very comfortable with the staff being just another tool used for its overall protection. When we consider this in our lives, we know that God is faithful in all of his interactions with us and for us. One example of this we find in a conversation that God had with Joshua. In Joshua 1:5 the following is recorded: “No man will be able to stand before you all of the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.” In this conversation with Joshua, God was encouraging Joshua that He would be with him and take care of him. Joshua knew first hand how God had taken care of Moses so he had a reference point when God confirmed his position with Him. Jesus said in Matthew 28:20 “….lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” It is comfortable to know that Christ will not leave us in our sin and misery. In everything that we face, we can be confident that He is by our side.
Benefits #11: “Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of my
enemies.” Our Hope
I have come to realize that not everyone who smiles at you likes you. Not everyone who walks up to you and shakes your hand really desires something good for you. When you find people that you thought were your friends degrading you to others yet smiling in your face, it can hurt and bother you. No matter how strong we are, we cannot escape the feelings of hurt and betrayal from those we once considered a friend. I have learned that I have enemies that I do not even know. Someone “heard” something about me from someone else and they decided that they did not like me based on what they heard although they never met me. I am not unlike any of you. We all have enemies that we recognize (those we can easily recognize in the daylight) and those that are hidden (under the protection of the darkness of night waiting to attack.) Although both of these types of enemies the sheep faced daily, David said “Thou dost prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” Sheep sleep and eat in green pastures while their enemies circle the parameters waiting for an opportunity to attack. While the sheep are eating, the shepherd watches over them to protect them. The sheep can eat freely and peacefully knowing that if they are attacked they will be protected by the shepherd. We have hope that no matter who is planning an attack against us, our shepherd is there to handle the battle. We cannot know everything that is being planned against us but our hope in God allows us to be forewarned against the plans of our enemies. Although we have enemies all around us, God prepares a table for us in their presence. I had to learn that I do not have to fight every battle that comes my way, sometimes all I need to do is continue what I am doing and let my shepherd handle it. We will always have enemies no matter where we go or how well we live your lives, they will not go away. But, because of our shepherd, we do not have to worry about them; their plans for us will be made know and our Shepherd will protect us through it all.
Benefit #12 & 13: “Thou hast anointed my head with oil; my cup
overflows.” Our Consecration and Abundance
When we are giving our approval of someone entering into a particular area of ministry, we anoint them with oil and through the laying on of hands, consecrate them for service. To consecrate means to “set aside as holy or sacred.” God has consecrated us and deem us as holy and/or sacred to Him. Ephesians 1:3-4 says “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He CHOSE us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be HOLY and blameless before Him…” God chose us and He consecrated us unto Himself. Paul said to Timothy that God “saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace….” (2 Tim. 1:9) David understood that God had chosen him and set him apart as “special” and it is the same with each of us. We are special to God and God considers us holy.
The other benefit states that “my cup overflows.” Whenever you have anything that is overflowing, you have abundance. Previously when I would read this verse, I envisioned in my mind the oil running from my head into a cup and the cup overflowing with the oil. Now I like to think the two are separate. Yes God anoints us, consecrates us and sets us apart for His will and BECAUSE of this; He gives us abundance causing our cup to overflow. Some have taken this to mean that God is about making you rich and I cannot find that any where in Scripture. We will be rich, but the fullness of that will come when we enter into His presence for eternity. Our lives on earth is not about living to become rich but it is about walking in God’s abundance in all areas of my life. I want to have so much abundance spiritually that I can feed others and they become full. I want God’s love and power to flow through me freely without me getting caught up in “what I can do” seeking people to praise me instead of the Father. I want to have the finances available to give freely to God’s work in this place and everywhere else He may lead. I want to be able to support missions and other ministries outside of this Church. I want to be able to freely help others in need without once giving thought to something I may need. I want to be in a position where I can give away more than I spend to further God’s work in action – touching a life in a special way. Because each of us is special to God, He has “abundance” in all areas of life awaiting us; we just need to line up with him to receive.
Benefits #14-16: “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all of the
days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.” Our Blessing, Security and Eternity
“Surely goodness and mercy will FOLLOW me all of the days of my life.” I want you to look at the word “follow” for a moment. To follow means “to come after or to pursue.” So you can actually think about this verse in this manner: no matter where you go with the Lord, goodness and mercies will pursue after you – they will track you down. This is what it means to be blessed. You have no choice but to be blessed when you are in a relationship with God. Many are those who are actively “seeking” God’s blessings but when we understand our relationship with God we know that we do not have to seek the blessings at all. They will chase you down and overtake you because that is God’s desire for you. You were blessed yesterday, you’re blessed today and you will be blessed tomorrow, next year, forever. You have a target on your back and those blessings are just following you around aiming to hit that target. You cannot escape God’s blessings for you – it is one of the core benefits.
“and I will dwell in the house of the Lord…” This speaks to our security. First your blessings will chase you down in this life and when you cross over to the other side you will forever be in the house of the Lord. Since Nikki and I have been married, we have lived in 4 different homes. One was military housing and the other three were homes we purchased. The home we presently live in may or may not be our home when we finally retire. My father lives in the same house he and my mother purchased when I was a child. To my understanding that was the first house he owned and it will be the last. It is not uncommon for people to move every 3-7 years just to upgrade their homes, but this will not be the case in God’s house. When you move into the house He has prepared for you, it will have everything you need and nothing you do not need. Yeah I know we have all heard about the mansions in the sky – but that’s not what this is about. I do not know what you house will be like, but I do know that to be in God’s presence forever outweighs anything that we have here on this earth. Jesus confirmed our security in John 14:1-3 when He said “Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” God is making preparations right now for us to spend eternity with Him.
“Forever.” I do not understand “forever” although it is a word I have used for many years. We all operate on a time schedule and the idea of something lasting forever goes against the whole idea of time. Everything that we have, know, see, etc will eventually change or waste away. Nothing that we are familiar with currently will remain forever. Sooner or later everything dies breaks or decays and must be thrown away. One thousand years from now, should the world last that long, people will be digging through our graves “seeking” relics of a “past” civilizations. Things become a “relic” when their time has passed. This will not be the case when we finally get home to God. When we get home, we get to spend eternity with Him as part of the benefits of being in a relationship with Him.
Conclusion
I want to conclude this message with this point: we are sheep and Christ is our good Shepherd. As sheep, we should have a dependency on Christ. That dependency can only come through our understanding and acceptance of the fact that we are sheep. As sheep, we are to be led and cared for. As sheep, we are to follow where the Shepherd leads. As sheep, we should be able to rest without being fearful for tomorrow because our Shepherd is keeping watch over us. As sheep we should not attempt to be the Shepherd.
Throughout history man has tried to be the Shepherd instead of the sheep. Satan convinced Eve to eat the fruit by telling her that by doing so she would “be like God knowing good and evil.” When God brought the Children of Israel from Egypt, throughout their history there were some who refused to walk as sheep and tried to be the shepherd. When Christianity was born, throughout the age of the Church, there have been many who felt the calling on their life elevated them to the role of Shepherd thus giving them the power to “change” God’s word to suit their own interpretation and doctrines. In order for the benefits of Psalm 23 to apply to us, we must walk in the role of an obedient sheep. Anything other than this can be construed as rebellion as we may be trying to walk in the role of Shepherd, thinking we know what is better for us.
As you reflect on Psalm 23 in the future, consider whether or not you see yourself as a sheep or are you trying to walk in the role of the Shepherd. God bless you “real good!”
