For His Name's Sake

He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3b)

Have you ever wondered exactly why it is that the Creator of the Universe loved us so much He would send His only Son to die at our hands, carrying the weight of our debt and guilt? Has it occurred to you to stop and wonder why this same Creator desires a personal relationship with people as tiny as we are -- and individually, at that?

It still amazes me to think about it. Why would this God be our shepherd? Why would He make us to lie down in green pastures, lead us beside still waters, restore our souls? Why would He deign to lead us in the paths of righteousness, which we are incapable of walking on our own? 

Why does He do these things? For His name's sake! To put it another way, because it's who He is. It is in His nature to love -- to truly love -- because Love is who He is. 

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. (1 John 4:7-8) (emphasis mine)

God is love. Our salvation has nothing to do with who we are; it has everything to do with who He is. Love is His very nature. It is the core and fiber of His being. He is Love, and so much more! He is Just. He is perfect. He, therefore, doesn't merely save us. He doesn't merely lead us to green pastures and still waters... but once He's taken us there, He then shows us how to be righteous. Because He loves us. 

Because that is who He is.

In The Paths of Righteousness

He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3b)

Our God is marked by His grace and mercy. These two key traits are how we best know our Messiah -- they are manifestations of His great love for us. We, meanwhile, are known by our need for His grace and mercy. If you're a Christian, this is pretty basic stuff. You don't come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ without first understanding what it is you need to be saved from. 

One of the wonderful things about having a God who saves though, is that He knows our strengths and weaknesses. Take, for example, Jesus' admonition in Matthew 5:48 to "be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." Does He really believe you and I, in our own strength, can come even close to that kind of standard? If He did, He wouldn't have needed to die. 

No. He knows you and I aren't capable of perfection. We take a couple steps toward Righteousness and are as completely lost as a ship in fog with no navigation. But He doesn't expect us to tread the path of Righteousness on our own. Instead, He leads us. 

This is part of what it means to be a shepherd. The sheep don't always know the way. They don't always have the destination in mind. They get distracted. But the Shepherd knows where He's going. He knows what the sheep need, and how to get them there. So He leads. 

And the leading, too, is a part of His grace.

He Restores My Soul

He restores my soul...
Psalm 23:3a

Have you ever been bone tired? It's that level of fatigue where you're not sure where you're going to come up with the strength to take another step. All your body wants to do is fall down and stay where it lands. It's that feeling you get when all your reserves are used up. There are no more second winds. There is, simply, nothing left.

The beauty of Psalm 23 is that it speaks to the soul in that same state of fatigue. The soul that is spiritually used up; when you feel like you've given everything you have, and then some. There's an old cliche that says God won't give you more than you can handle -- but, deep down, your soul knows it isn't true. We are constantly given more than we can handle on our own. With all the darkness in the world, with all those who use us, or abuse us, with all that we have to give of ourselves... it all becomes too much, until finally our souls want nothing else but to collapse in on themselves, to be tucked away into a dark corner, and kept safe and alone for the next several years.

I've been there. So have you.

But the good news is, God never expected us to do it on our own. We are given more than we can handle, because nothing is more than He can handle. He's in this with us -- even more, in fact. And when we're exhausted, He lets us rest in him. And He not only lets us rest, but restores our souls.

To restore means to renew; to bring back to a state of health and vigor. When we rest in Him, He doesn't merely lend us support enough to go on; He brings us back to full health. More, in fact, He makes us stronger, because of the trials we've already undergone.

When you're willing to let yourself be led -- when you recognize God as the Great Shepherd, and submit yourself to His will -- He will give you rest and restore your soul.

Beside Still Waters

He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters. (Psalm 23:2)

Is there anything as refreshing as a cool drink of water? Throughout the day, we consume a lot of different fluids. For some people, it's coffee or tea, juices or lemonade, adult beverages or soda. Yet, with all the choices the world offers, ultimately our bodies need -- our bodies crave -- simple, God-given water.

When you're going for a walk, or mowing the lawn, exercising in some way or simply exerting yourself more than usual, often the very first thing you want (after a breather) is pure, refreshing water.

Indeed, we love water so much, we find its very presence peaceful and calming. It's as though our spiritual selves long to be near it just as much as our physical bodies require it for survival. We build our homes next to it. We plan activities around it. We'll sit and stare at it for hours.

Maybe this need -- this physical, emotional, spiritual need -- is why Jesus talked about the Water of Life.

“Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:13-14)

As the Good Shepherd, Jesus knows our desires... but more than that, He knows our needs. It's our nature to drink. It's God's nature to lead us to the still, peaceful water of Life.

He Makes; He Leads

He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters. (Psalm 23:2)

Sometimes, kids need a nap. 

As a parent, my job is to lead my children. Sometimes, I can lead them by example, or through suggestion. And sometimes, because I'm the adult and know what's best for them, I have to express my will more insistently. I have to tell them what to do, and expect them to obey it. Naps are like that. Very rarely will one of my 5-year-old daughters tell me they want to take a nap. Even when I can judge by their behavior that a nap is exactly what they need, their own will is to keep going, to stay awake. So I must make them lie down. I'm not taking away their autonomy; I'm helping them grow, because I'm giving them exactly what they need -- even when they don't know it. 

Sometimes, God works this way as well. Once we put ourselves in His hands, His expectation is that we will be submissive to His will. We are the sheep; He is the shepherd. 

What this means is that sometimes He will lead us beside still waters. He will guide us to refreshing water, and we will drink, because it is in our nature to do so. But it is also in our nature to keep going, long after our ability to walk straight, to think clearly, to follow well. We're not people who trust easily; who put ourselves fully under the authority of another. We're not people who willingly rest under the protection of another -- even when rest is exactly what we need. So, like a loving Father, He makes us lie down.

Many people have experienced this. Certain doors close; options are removed until all that is left is to shut down and to rest in His arms. 

Maybe this is what Jesus meant when He said,

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. (Matthew 11:29-30)

He Makes Me To Lie Down in Green Pastures

He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters. (Psalm 23:2)

There is something peaceful about green pastures and still waters. The whole scene, set in just those two sentences, whispers, "rest," for those weary enough to need it. Later in the psalm, we'll learn about a valley of a shadow of death, and about enemies being present... so this respite, this calm interlude, is made that much more important.

Indeed, in the busyness of our lives, in the day-to-day drama of living out our lives for Christ, in a world that increasingly values Self above all else, I find that I seek rest more and more. In the constant noise of our bustling age of electronic everything, how sweet it is to find that quiet place and relax in the presence of the Shepherd!

Jesus again echoes the Psalm when He says,

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27)

Yet, there's even more blessing in these pastures than simple rest. A shepherd himself, David knows that green pastures aren't merely bedding for tired sheep; they are also nourishment. A part of the rest offered here is the knowledge that their needs are being met. That they can rise at any time and partake in the abundant grass around them. 

This is what it means to rest in the abundant life of Christ: to lie down in green pastures, knowing the Shepherd is keeping watch, that He has met our needs, that He has it under control.

I Shall Not Want

The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want. (Psalm 23:1)

In the first verse of David's hymn, we learn of a Shepherd who supplies the needs of His sheep. "I shall not want." Or, in another version, "I lack nothing."

This first verse could be seen as an introduction to the rest of the psalm. In verses 2-6, David will tell us about many of the needs God is meeting. But it's also a more profound statement than that, because he isn't just saying, "my Shepherd will provide the following." He's saying, "I have everything I need."  And, to go further, the reason he has all he needs is that the Lord is his Shepherd.

Jesus touched on this very subject -- and in fact neatly paraphrased this first verse -- when He gave His sermon on the mount:

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)

It's easy -- and for many, tempting -- to turn this into a test of faith. To look at this verse and wonder why it doesn't seem as though our needs are being met. To wonder whether persecuted Christians throughout the world can take comfort in this Scripture. But they can! Much of this is about perspective.

Like the old song says, "Turn your eyes upon Jesus / look full in His wonderful face / and the things of earth will grow strangely dim / in the light of His Glory and Grace."

The things of this earth are temporary, where God is concerned with the eternal. They are finite where God is Infinite. In Psalm 23:1, we learn that when we follow the Shepherd, He will take care of our needs, leading us where He wants us to be. And what He has in store is so much better than what this world can offer.

Like all of Psalm 23, this is reminder to rest. To not worry. And, most importantly, to trust that your God has things well in hand.

The LORD is my Shepherd

The Lord is my shepherd... (Psalm 23:1a)

We often use the 23rd Psalm as a hymn of comfort. And it is. But more than that, it is a song of faith -- and of faithfulness. Faithfulness on the part of both the sheep and the Shepherd.

In this first verse, We learn the identity of our Shepherd. In Hebrew, the word "Lord" is written as YHWH, a name for God so Holy the Hebrews wouldn't even pronounce it (even in translation, the vowels are removed out of reverence and respect). In reading these manuscripts, Hebrews would instead see this designation and pronounce it as "Adonai," a word meaning "Lord." In a world of many cultures, celebrating many deities, David wanted no mistakes as to the God he worshiped. The Hebrew God, "YHWH," said David, "is my Shepherd."

This is a weighty distinction. And as much as it is a comfort to the Hebrews -- to those who claim YHWH as their God, it is meant also as a warning to the enemies of Israel and of God. Remember: David, too, was a Shepherd. Not only did he tend his sheep and see to their proper feeding, he protected them as well. He killed a bear and a lion with only his sling to defend his sheep.

Perhaps David, then, knew of what he spoke when he boldly confronted Goliath:

“You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. ⁴⁶ This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. ⁴⁷ Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.” (1 Samuel 17:45-47)

He knew, as a shepherd, that as much care as he provided for his sheep, the God of Israel would provide that much, and more! 

Psalm 23 was written as a man who was a shepherd. A man who knew his shepherd -- the one who kept him safe -- was no mere mortal, but the Lord God!

Get Lost!

I hate being lost. Hate. It. There are few things more stressful to me than not knowing exactly where I'm going. I'm not even particularly comfortable with guessing.

It's a control thing.

It's true in general, and it's true in my life as well. I've never been somebody who always needs to have a plan, but I've always had the need to be in control. Even if I didn't know where I was headed, I had to know where I was. There's a difference, you see, in knowing where you are and actually having a destination. For me, the destination was never as important as simply knowing my location.

Yet, as I seek to follow God's Will, I find I sometimes don't even know that much. And I'll be honest: it's unsettling. This has been what might be called a "growth area" for me, as I learn and grow in Christ. Giving in. Giving up control. Recognizing that, even when I don't know where I am or where I'm going, He does.

Have you ever followed a friend to a destination, because you weren't familiar with the area? I still do that. Having lived here for over a year, I still don't always recognize where I am... and certainly have no idea how to get wherever it is we're going. So, I wind up following somebody. If you've been in this situation, you also know that knot of panic that settles in your stomach if, Heaven forbid, they go under a yellow light, stranding you at the red.

This is what it feels like to step outside of God's will. Speaking from the experience of years of wandering around lost, you find you lose that need to have control as soon as you hear His voice say, "Here I am."

A Psalm of David.

23 The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
² He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
³ He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell^[a] in the house of the Lord

(For more on this topic, see my earlier 2-part post, Where To, God? Part 1 ... Part 2)

I :Heart: My Cushy Christianity

Man, we have it easy.

It's true. Western Christians have a very, very easy life. Some might say it's even too easy.

There are Eastern countries in which our Brothers and Sisters in Christ are being beheaded for proclaiming the name of Jesus. There are places where churches are being bombed, with no justice for the victims. Places where even children are cut down because of the God their families worship. There are nations in which Christians are willing to die just to possess a single page of God's Word.

I have a confession to make: I'm glad I live in a country where we have religious liberty. There are days in which we're tempted to believe we do not. But when it comes right down to it, what we deal with on a daily basis isn't persecution. Not even close. If I so chose, I could walk down the street, carrying my Bible, and even speak openly about God's word in public. I can share my faith and not once worry about whether I'll keep my head. I can attend one of hundreds of buildings in my city openly dedicated to preaching Christ and worshiping God.

If I go through life as a Christian, and the worst I have to deal with is being called a hypocrite, a fool, or a bigot, I'm honestly okay with that.

In this time of Thanksgiving, I'm thankful today that my children are growing up in a country where they can openly worship Jesus Christ. A country where we don't have to huddle in dark corners of basements, meeting in secret to grow in Christ.

I'm thankful, and I feel horrible that I'm thankful. Because, meanwhile, our Brothers and Sisters suffer. Be thankful. Thank and praise God that you live with freedom to worship Him. But pray, too. Pray for the Body of Christ being persecuted and murdered on the other side of the world. This is our Family being cut down, chased, truly persecuted. Pray for them, and hold fast.

And, while you're praying, ask yourself this question: what are you doing with all your freedom?

"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." -Matthew 5:10