Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd. He leads us through the valleys and to green pastures. He is right there with us in the fire. He will never leave us for foresake us. He is always with us. He doesn’t abandon the flock like a hireling.
John 10
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
Have you ever heard the LORD and then fell immediately into doubt or a sinful pattern again? We read about the Lord physically appearing before patriarchs in Scripture and we can’t fathom how they could stumble after a supernatural experience like that, but we do the same thing after we hear the promises from God. Whether we physically saw Him or audibly heard Him or He gave us some kind of sign.
This is one reason why we need a shepherd. The Lord is our shepherd. Sheep wander off. They constantly have to be led to food and water and to the green pastures. Their life depends on who their Shepherd is, how their Shepherd cares for them.
And we should brag!! I know who my Shepherd is! The Lord is my shepherd! I shall not want. He will provide. He is a provider, a restore, a redeemer, a healer, a savior, my all in all. He lays His life down for mine. He is always working. He never slumbers. He is faithful. He loves me.
In Psalm 23, David is bragging. He’s bragging that the Lord is his shepherd. David was a shepherd. He tended sheep and he knows how hard it is. He knows how much they go astray. He knows how much they need to meticulously be cared for. Psalm 23 says although I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil. The shepherd had to lead the flock through the valleys to water in the shadows to keep the sheep from overheating. The sheep don’t like it because it’s dark in the valleys and they can’t see very well. But, it’s for their own good that the shepherd leads them through. They need to trust their Shepherd.
We can handle the valleys when our Shepherd is leading us. He is always with us. He will never leave us or forsake us. He is with us in the fire. He is refining us, proving our faith more genuine than gold. Our faith is no good without testing. We can’t just dance on mountaintops 24/7. Jesus said in this world we would have tribulation, but to have good cheer because He has overcome the world. And, He is our shepherd! He is The Way. How on earth do we think we can do this without Him? We can’t. There is no other way. He is The Way, The Truth, and The Life.