Psalm 23:1 ‘The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want, He makes me to lie down in green pastures, He restores my soul..’

DAILY READING – Acts 18; Judges 9; Job 38

From the days of Abraham down to modern times, sheep have abounded in Israel.
This abundance of sheep in the land is reflected when the Scriptures tells us that Job had fourteen thousand sheep (Job. 42:12), and that King Solomon at the Temple’s dedication, sacrificed one hundred and twenty thousand sheep (1Kings 8:63).
The large number of sheep also meant there were many shepherds in Israel.
The Jews of Bible times were first shepherds and then farmers.
Their occupation as shepherds is mentioned several times in the Bible. Great men such as Abraham, Moses, and King David were shepherds during their time. And throughout the centuries the Jews never abandoned entirely their shepherd life.

The work of a shepherd is important for the survival of the sheep.
The sheep depended on the shepherd for provision and protection. For many days the shepherd would work and sleep outdoors, allowing his flock to graze on the green hills. During the night, he would be awake guarding the sheepfolds. At times, the shepherd might shelter his flock overnight in a cave, where they would be protected from wild animals such as lions, jackals and hyenas. If the howl of a wild animal panicked the flock of sheep in the dark of night, the shepherd’s calm, reassuring voice would still them. Each evening, the shepherd counted the sheep and checked the health of the animals. In the morning, he would call, and the flock would follow him to the pasture ground.
The shepherd knows where the green pasture is.
A sheep that departs from its shepherd will not last long. It will either die by hunger or be killed by wild beasts.
Indeed the sheep totally needs the shepherd for his existence and for survival.

So, when the psalmist says ‘the Lord is my shepherd,’ we understand how crucially dependent we are upon God for our provision and protection
Jesus, our Great Shepherd takes responsibility for our wellbeing, but we must follow while He leads us.
To successfully navigate through this life and avoid pitfalls, we need to follow strictly the instructions and leading of our shepherd.

Prov. 3:5 tells us to trust in the Lord with all our heart, and not to lean on our own understanding.
When we let God be the one leading us and guiding us, then He also takes care of all that concerns us.

We must understand that God has a divine call and plan for everyone of us.
He will take care of us when we are walking and working in accordance with His divine purpose for us. God’s will is His bill. God will only pay for what He orders for. So, to enjoy divine provision, we must learn to follow His voice and the vision He has for our lives.
Today, many people are leading themselves, doing whatever they please and expecting God to still take care of them. To enjoy true divine provision and protection we need to constantly seek God’s guidance.

Especially in this new year we must make up our minds to achieve a closer walk with God. As His sheep we need to pay the required price of prayers and study of the Word, to hear the voice of our shepherd.
We will live a more peaceful life when we commit ourselves to always obeying God, knowing that He is strategically ordering our every step.
Indeed as we continue to trust in Him and praise Him in every situation, our great shepherd will lead us to constant green pastures where we will never want or lack throughout this year..

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for Your continual faithfulness in my life. Please help me to submit to Your guidance and be sensitive to the voice of Your spirit. Thank You for guiding me into Your great plans for me this year in Jesus Name.

QUOTE;:
God’s will is God’s bill; God always makes provision for His vision. WORDBITE 222