Where is My Shepherd

Solomon's Porch Singapore Sermon Podcast

This week P Hyunsu, guest pastor from Solomon’s Porch in Beijing, spoke on Psalm 23 (NKJV): “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want (NIV: I lack nothing)...”, and asked us to consider who we look to as our shepherd: our parents, our pastor, our house church leaders, our spouse, our boss?

There are many different sources of shepherding in our lives that are not God: our job, our career path, our material and emotional wants. But who really restores our soul? Who decides where we go? In reality, we tend to live from worldly ‘need’ to ‘need’ - we are unable to truly say “I lack nothing.” God’s promise appears to be unfulfilled in our lives.

It may be that the presence of a ‘need’ in our lives is God’s way of highlighting for us, as Christians, of the lack of God’s authority that we have allowed over that area of our lives. Too often, the perceived results of our lives determines how we feel about our ‘success’. However, our definition of ‘success’ is a human issue.

This is not to say that the way of God’s shepherding is an easy path (we may even be lead through the valley of the shadow of death). Paul advocates rejoicing in our suffering (Romans 5:3-5) as an opportunity to grow and experience God. God reassures us that when we are in Him we need not fear (Psalm 23:4), and he promises us his comfort.

If we truly rely on God as our shepherd, place our hope in his eternal perspective and follow his guidance, our fulfilment will be in Him instead of worldly results.

Psalm 23 (NKJV): “1. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 4. Yea, 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. 5. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.”