Scripture: Psalm 23:1
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
Thought for the Day: I’m guessing most every person, religious and non-religious, has heard those words of scripture. The first verse is a statement of faith or profession of faith. In the ancient world, kings were often referred to as the shepherd of their people. They had great authority, and many were viewed as divine agents or even earthly expressions of the divine. For Israel, the monarchy (Saul, David, Solomon, etc.) were viewed as agents of God, and at times, their authority was god-like. So for the author of the Psalm to declare, “The Lord is my shepherd” would have carried with it political undertones. The author and those who echoed these words in worship would have been announcing their loyalty to God above their loyalty to the king. The author of the Psalm continues in the following verses to layout what a good shepherd does for the people, pointing out the gap between the true Shepherd of the people and the king. Where in our lives do we need to declare our loyalty to the Lord our shepherd above political leaders, celebrities, sports figures or others?
Prayer: You, Lord, are the good shepherd; lead us to the life-giving streams of grace; provide us places of rest; walk with us even with the path is dark and dangerous. Amen.
SUNDAY’S SERMON
2nd Samuel 5:1-5
