A Relationship with Jesus is God’s Will

It was like a dark shadow. It was like a dark shadow passing through her not over her. She tried to grasp the words to describe this shadow of emotion but the words escaped her mind. What was she feeling? Sorrow? Fear? Dread?

Ruth couldn’t describe what this feeling was but there was an inner presence of disquiet and turmoil. This emotional pain led her to stop her daily activities to take time to reflect and seek answers to what was going on.

Once she stopped her activities and distractions, she felt like she pulled the tab off a shaken can of pop. Her thoughts and emotions spewed out and she knew to put them back inside would be as futile as trying to refill the can with its original contents.

The first splash was last month’s struggle to stretch her income to cover expenses. She was a good steward of her finances but had little control over the property tax increase, insurance premium increases and her unexpected car repair. Ruth was beginning to fear for her future.

The second splash was the exhaustion related to a relationship with a long-time friend. Years ago, they attended college together and shared the same hopes and dreams. On this common ground they had kept in touch but her friend’s life was a continued stream of drama. In this stream of drama, she would cry out for rescue but never grab onto the rope thrown to her to pull herself up and out. Ruth wondered, “Why doesn’t she change?”

The final splash was malicious slander from her co-worker directed toward Ruth for no reason. Ruth did her job and did it well and her caring and kind nature was exhibited to all in her place of work. But for an unknown reason this co-worker hated her. Last week Ruth received confirmation when another co-worker asked her, “What did you do to her?” Ruth knew she did nothing.

The words of a fellow Bible study student flowed into Ruth’s mind about the book of Psalms. She was drawn to Psalm 23 penned by David.

Before reading the psalm, she took time to reflect on the role of a shepherd and his sheep.

The shepherd’s responsibility was the care of the sheep. The shepherd protected them from predators, kept them from nature’s elements that could harm them, made them rest so they’d complete their journey and led them to food and water so they’d flourish.

As for sheep, they aren’t fast enough to outrun predators or intelligent enough to outsmart them. They lack sharp horns or fangs to defend themselves and can’t swim because their wet wool would drown them. And how ridiculous is it that the slope of a hill, its short legs or pregnancy can cause it to fall over and it can’t get up?

Ruth concluded, “Without a shepherd the sheep would die.”

And, she began to read the psalm…

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

These words began to bath her troubled heart. She remembered many times how she had thought there was no way she could meet her financial obligations but somehow, she always did. Ruth knew the LORD would provide for all of her needs.

“He makes me lie down in green pastures.”

Ruth thought of the pull to seek quiet to reflect on her troubled heart. She knew she was being led to a place to rest.

“He leads me beside still waters.”

Ruth experienced God’s Word, Psalm 23, leading her to “still waters” in a fallen world.

“He restores my soul.”

Ruth surrendered herself to His rest and the wisdom of His word and her soul was restored. There was unexplained peace.

“He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”

Ruth was reminded that when she responded to the Shepherd’s call, she was no longer the world’s child but God’s child and her life reflected Him.

“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.”

Ruth knew the Shepherd would never leave her. She was left by friends. She was left by those who promised to love her forever. She made mistakes and experienced the consequences. She went through pain and consequences that were not due to her choices but the result of living in a fallen world.

The Shepherd sometimes kept her from falling into a pit of a trial and other times let her fall but walked her through the trial. But in all of this—she knew she was never alone. She knew there would be no trial that would be too much for her and no trial that would separate her from Him.

And because of the trust built through these trials she listened…

She was now aware of the Shepherd’s protection relating to her relationship with her long-time friend and that she was being guided to distance herself from a relationship that could bring her harm.

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”

Ruth understood that it isn’t God’s plan to take her out of this world but to equip her to be a light for Him in this world. She knew she could do nothing to change the co-worker who hated her but would have the strength so her words and actions would reflect the Shepherd she followed.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

Ruth had a final revelation from this Psalm 23.

The psalm penned by David, thousands of years ago, described what a relationship with God looked like. This same psalm describes what a relationship with Jesus looks like.

The dark shadow was gone. The disquiet and turmoil in her heart was replaced with peace and security. Peace and security come from a relationship with the Shepherd, Jesus.

Peace and Security Come From a Relationship with Jesus

Psalm 23 describes a relationship between God and His child. This is what a relationship with Jesus looks like.

We don’t know if David penned this psalm during quiet reflection under a blanket of stars while watching over his sheep or hiding from Saul’s murderous pursuit. But peace and security came from David’s relationship with God and peace and security come from our relationship with Jesus.

David identified himself with sheep, and with the same humility, we are to do the same. Sheep describe humanity and our need for a Shepherd.

This is the relationship we are to seek – a relationship with Jesus – this is God’s will for His creation.

Scripture and the Shepherd

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul. He leads 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.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” (Psalm 23)

“For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:17)