I love Psalm 23 and John 10. I love being compared to a sheep. God shows us His sense of humor in these words. Sheep are the dumbest and most timid animals, and so not brave at all. They keel right over at the slightest bit of fear, which makes me chuckle. When was the last time you heard of the mascot, the "Mighty Sheep"? Sheep are stupid and need constant guidance in order to survive. (I can relate!) The Shepherd is there to bring the sheep into the flock and protect them from predators who want to eat sheep for dinner. My favorite part about the relationship between sheep and their Shepherd is that even though those sheep are dumb, they KNOW their Shepherd's voice, and will only listen to Him once they trust Him and know He's there to take care of them. When I read this Psalm, I mark the verbs, to remind me that God is the one DOING this life for me, and I'm just resting in the pasture nearby, thankful to be one of His sheep.
"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads beside the quiet waters,
He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
Even 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."
Psalm 23
