Psalm 23 4th Sunday Lent (4-3-11)

From the Organ Bench
Psalm 23
Once upon a time, I lived on a farm located on Trego Creek Road. It was the best
place to grow up. Romping in the barn, helping to milk the cow, feeding the
chickens and hogs, going squirrel hunting with my dad and taking care of the sheep
are some of the fondest memories I have as a little girl. Every season, I would get
to “help” my dad shear the sheep. The most fascinating sheep chore was de-tailing
the lambs. After dad performed the surgery, my job was to paint a black gooey tar
mixture on their little rumps. I was sure that their bleating was a commentary on
my artistic attempts to give them a salon look. Just about every spring a young
lamb would be housed in a box in our kitchen. We would nurse the poor thing back
to health. Eventually, the lamb would join the rest of the flock on the hillside.
In Psalm 23, the psalmist uses the imagery of shepherding to describe attributes
of the Lord.
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.
The fourth evangelist echoes this sentiment (Jn.10:11,14).
I am the Good Shepherd…I know my own and mine know me.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters;
Rev. 7:17 borrows the metaphor from Ps.23:2 to describe the pastures of eternity:
For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of living water.
He restores my soul (vitality).
The LORD’S name expresses all the mystery and wonder of God’s self, being
revealed.
The Lord’s name can be trusted. The Lord is a promise keeper; ever faithful, ever
present, ever ready to nurture, assist and save.
He leads me in paths of rightness for his name’s sake.
The Lord does not lead us down crooked ruts, nor does the Lord lead us into dead
end streets. The Lord does not steer us into blind alleys. God, leading, travels the
road with us. The Lord can be trusted on the journey, not matter what turn the
journey takes.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of deep darkness,
I fear not evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff,
They comfort me.
The Lord has just the right gear for the trip; the rod of encouragement and the staff
of protection. I don’t have to worry about the details. The trip has been well thought
out and planned. The only thing I have to pack is trust.
You prepare a table before me

In the presence of my enemies;
Imagine in the midst of turmoil, and struggles, God prepares a feast for us. The
Lord cleans out the waterhole, full of winter debris. The shepherd prepares the
summer range. It is free of poisonous weeds. Those who are the enemies of God,
are not invited to the party. The Shepherd’s rod has prevented predators from
interfering with the meal. The flock is able to feast free from the harassment of
coyotes, wolves, cougars or stray dogs The banquet table is adorned with joy; the
joy of fellowship, the joy of belonging, the joy of living in step with L’Eternel.
The shepherd’s rod which protects, is also an instrument of healing. Using the
rod to part the sheep’s wool, the shepherd can examine the condition of the skin, the
cleanliness of the fleece, running his hand over the body to feel for any sign of
trouble. Hidden problems are discovered. The parasites that trouble the flock are
eliminated by the healing hands of the shepherd. Mites, flies, and scabs are treated
with repeated anointing.
You anoint my head with oil,
My cup overflows.
Sleet storms and unexpected blizzards can threaten the lives of the sheep. Exposure
to the harsh elements of nature can cause them to become deathly chilled.
Palestinian shepherds mix a few spoonfuls of wine with water and pour the
medicine down their throats. The little lambs warm up almost immediately.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life,
Because I belong to the Shepherd, His goodness and mercy shall follow me. I do
not belong to a ranch hand, a hireling, who bolts when the first danger appears, or
when the way is too steep. The Good Shepherd and his flock are a blessing to the
land. Do our lives reflect the Lord’s blessings? Or do turmoil, rancor and bitterness
follow us wherever we go? If I cannot extend forgiveness, then I have not allowed
the Shepherd to run his rod through the fleece of my life.
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
For length of days.
What more does one need than the contentment of belonging to the Lord’s flock?
Delma Rouleau
4th Sunday of Lent
3 April 2011

Psalm 23 4th Sunday Lent (4-3-11)

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From the Organ Bench

You prepare a table before me

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

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