The birth of Jesus Christ…God was making Himself present among men and women on this earth. The Good Shepherd was appearing.

“The Lord is my Shepherd” (Psalm 23:1).

·         The word “Shepherd” is taken from the Hebrew word for “best friend”.

·         Verse one is therefore stating the Lord is my best friend!

·         Shepherd also means “lover of the flock”.

·         Verse one would mean the Lord is my best friend who loves me!

·         We learn that the Lord is not just responsible for overseeing His people, His flock, but He is a caring Father tending to us with great love.

·         Shepherds who watch over their flock are also fierce protectors; Jesus is the Fierce Protector of His children!

Shepherds are providers:

·         “I shall not want (lack)” (Verse 1).

·         We always have more than enough because Jesus is the Shepherd Who provides. Through Him we have everything we need for life and godliness (1 Peter 1:3).

·         This should be the declaration of our life: “In Jesus I lack nothing!”

·         All physical, emotional, and spiritual needs that we may experience while living on earth have been met in Jesus.

Good Shepherds know where to bring their flocks for safety and rest (Verse 2):

·         Jesus offers us a resting place in Him. There, we experience His magnificent love.

·         Jesus’ love for us is a resting place, free from all fear because we are with the Shepherd.

·         God is love, and love is leading us to a resting place of true rest, no matter the circumstances of life that we face.

The Shepherd restores and revives our lives (Verse 3):

·         There is restoration and refreshment in the Lord if we pursue Him, seek Him, with all of our hearts.

·         Life can be draining, but the Lord renews our strength (Isaiah 40:28-31).

 Shepherds lead their flock on the right path (Verse 3):

·         Shepherds are known for leading the sheep on circular paths that take them higher and higher.

·         Each step we take with the Lord Who is our Shepherd, leads us to rise higher and higher in with Him. We can be confident that we are growing in our relationship with Him and making steady progress.

·         Habakkuk 3:19 confirms that the Lord causes us to walk and not stand still but to make spiritual progress, even during trouble or trials, as we trust Him, knowing He is our strength.

Love casts out all fear (Verse 4):

·         The journey of life can be difficult, taking us through dark places. But fear should not overtake us, because Jesus, Who lived and died for us, has conquered the enemy! Jesus is the Greater One!

·         Because Jesus is the Greater One, He is the One with the authority. Knowing His greatness should give us the strength and peace we need.

·         The comfort of His love should take away all fear.

·         Emotions should never rule us as they are fickle; that is, emotions change quickly ‘at the drop of a hat’. Instead, we should be confident that God is with us at all times, despite how our emotions are leading us to feel.

Sheep are well fed, watered, and delight in their master (Verse 5):

·         Being in the presence of the Lord is always a feast! Even during difficulty and times of temptation, we remember that Jesus came to give us life in abundance, to the full, until it overflows (John 10:10); “…one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favor upon favor and gift (heaped) upon gift (Amp John 1:16)! We are blessed!

·         There is no stopping the outflow of God’s goodness; satan has no power over Him or over us!

·         God has blessed us with His presence by the Holy Spirit Who lives in unity with us.

The Shepherd is always pursuing his sheep, giving them his best (Verse 6):

·         There is no need to fear the future; God is for us, not against us (Romans 8:31).

·         His goodness and tender love pursue us all the days of our lives!

·         We are destined to be with Him while we live on this earth and forever in heaven!

Praise God for bringing Jesus, His Son, to earth for us!