Of all God’s animals, sheep are the least take care of themselves. They are defenseless, dirty and not smart. Yet the Bible tells us that we are like sheep. Isaiah 53:6 says “We have wandered away like sheep; each of us has gone his own way” Even David as he Psalm 23 was reminded that we are like sheep.
It makes me wonder whether David could have thought of a better metaphor? After all, ran Saul and out gunned Goliath. Why didn’t he choose something other than sheep? How about: “The Lord is my commander in chief, and I am his warrior.”
A warrior gets a uniform and a weapon, maybe even a medal. People applaud when God’s warrior passes but who notices when God’s sheep show up?
Only one person notices. The shepherd. And that is precisely David’s point.
When David, searched for an illustration of God, he remembered his days as a shepherd. remembered how he lavished attention on the sheep day and night. How he slept with and watched over them.
And the way he cared for the sheep reminded him of the way God cares for us. David rejoiced to say, “The Lord is my shepherd,” and in so doing he proudly implied, “I am his sheep.The Lord is caring for us. What a great thought with which to wake up with! As opposed the thought: “What a horrible day, I’m going to have today.” Or, “I’ve got too many demands today.”
Tomorrow morning when you wake lie in bed and say, “The Lord is my Shepherd.”
