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Friday, March 15, 2013

Trust Your Shepherd....and Find Rest and JOY!



            Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Do you feel weak and tired?  Let God help you!

            We’ve talked a lot this week about being busy and tired. Rest is very important but we often neglect that part of our physical health.  The 23rd Psalm tells us that we should rest by letting the Lord….our Shepherd…lead us by those “still waters” and by lying down in the green pastures He provides. 

            How does a shepherd lead his sheep? First of all the sheep must recognize the shepherd’s voice; then they must trust him!  Phillip Keller gives us insight: "The strange thing about sheep, he writes, is that because of their very make-up it is almost impossible to make them lie down unless four requirements are met. [1] Because of their timid nature they refuse to lie down unless they are free from all fear. [2] Because of the social behavior within a flock, sheep will not lie down unless they are free from friction with others [3] If tormented by flies or parasites, sheep will not lie down. Only when free of these pests can they relax. [4] Lastly, sheep will not lie down as long as they feel hungry."

            How does this apply to us spiritually?  We must recognize His voice and trust our Shepherd completely, so that we are free from fear. We must allow him to take care of all our pesky problems and our physical needs. When troubles come, it is so easy to get our eyes off God and obsess over our problems. But as our Shepherd, God faithfully guards and guides His sheep, and provides for us.  Notice that this psalm begins with "the Lord," and ends with "the Lord forever." Let us keep our eyes on Him from start to finish!

           Listen to the Shepherd as he leads you down the path of JOY!

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