“He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters.”  Psalm 23:2 AMPC

Life As a Shepherd

Being a shepherd and looking after your sheep is a whole different ball game in the Middle East, in countries like Israel…..  In countries in the west, such as the United Kingdom, where rain is usually plentiful and there is plenty of grass; to a certain extent the sheep virtually look after themselves – except in the winter, if there’s a lot of snow, they’ll often need extra food; and, of course, in the lambing season.  And the way of moving the sheep from one location to another when necessary, is to ‘drive’ the sheep (usually with the help of sheep dogs) to their destination.

However, in the Middle East the case is very different and the work of the shepherd is far more comprehensive.  There is often very little rain, a scarcity of grass and it’s often difficult to find shade from the sun – not to mention keeping them safe from any other animals on the hunt for the same commodities!

David the Shepherd

Therefore, the Middle Eastern shepherd doesn’t ‘drive’ his sheep – he leads them, and they learn to trust him to find the water, the grass, and the shade that they’re in need of; and to trust him to keep them safe.  This is exactly what David learned when he was  a shepherd boy.  And that was why he was able to write Psalm 23 when he was older, which is the Psalm from which the verse I’ve shared above came from.

Jesus the Shepherd

So does what I’ve shared about the life of a shepherd sound familiar to you?  You see that’s exactly what our Shepherd, Jesus, wants to do for each one of us – if we’ll follow His lead and let Him.  He wants us to build a love relationship with Him, to trust Him in every way possible and to learn how to rest in His love at all times – not just occasionally.  And, if we do lose our way at any time – He’ll come looking for us….  Just like any shepherd goes looking for his lost sheep!

And I love this translation of the same verse:

“He offers a resting place for me in his luxurious love. His tracks take me to an oasis of peace, the quiet brook of bliss.”  Psalms 23:2 TPT

Be at peace and rest in the Lord.  🙏❣️