If you haven't yet, watch this week's video here In a comment at the bottom of the page, answer some or all of the questions below: (Some of this content is taken from the study guide. For more in-depth personal study download the study guide here: STUDY GUIDE ) Psalm 23:1
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Many times, we think about God in awe-inspiring terms (which we should). He is creator, sovereign, Lord, and so on. But as Matt pointed out, “shepherd” does not inspire awe so much as nearness and care. It communicates a level of intimacy that God has with his people. How does the idea of God as your shepherd add to your understanding of who God is and what your relationship with him is like? From Eric: Obviously it is not wrong to want things. When David says “I shall not want” I think he is saying something like “I shall not be ruled by want” because of the life he has in God. Where do you see yourself ruled by want? What things do you find yourself so focused on thinking “if I just had this.” John 10:7-11 7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. One of the characteristics Matt pointed out is that the sheep that belong to Jesus hear his voice and follow wherever he leads. But Jesus is not the only voice we hear in our world today. There are many different things vying for our attention. Matt specifically mentioned three examples: our personal desires, culture, and relationships. What are some of the things you tend to look to as a shepherd other than Jesus? How do these things rob joy and life from you and leave you wanting? How is Jesus the only good Shepherd who can give life and cause us to say “I shall not want”? How ought the reality behind the phrase “I shall not want” transform our lives and relationships? How does it affect the way we face the current difficulty our world is in?
15 Comments
Lily Stadler
3/23/2020 10:02:47 am
1. Knowing that God is my Shepherd gives me a little different view on my relationship with God. I not only see God as my loving father, but also as a protector and guidance counselor of mine. It's sort of taken down to a personal level knowing that you have a perfect Shepherd of your own.
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Eric Rossman
3/24/2020 09:41:54 pm
“Well with current events, I can't see many people, school is canceled, IB exams are cancel, and graduation may or may not happen. I am ruled by the idea for things to go back to normal and go back to the path I was heading on, graduating, getting college credit, and social with others.”
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Jacob Felten
3/24/2020 08:58:05 am
If I understand God is my shepherd, I know that he has an active role in my life. He doesn’t just sit back and let the world run. He’s guiding it how He wants to, and the Bible says God wants what’s best for us.
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Eric Rossman
3/25/2020 02:48:23 pm
"He doesn’t just sit back and let the world run. He’s guiding it how He wants to, and the Bible says God wants what’s best for us."
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Sara Hanson
3/25/2020 04:48:43 pm
I can relate with unbelieving family members expressing fear during this uncertain time...my mother-in-law canceled her trip to come see Bradley (she would have been here this week), which is discouraging for us all. I could use prayer for my own heart to keep from falling into self-pity and fear.
Sara Hanson
3/25/2020 05:04:34 pm
What strikes me the most about this psalm and Matt Chandler's introductory comments is the concept of the sheep/shepherd relationship.
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Eric Rossman
3/25/2020 05:48:10 pm
"Too often my pride keeps me from following Jesus' voice."
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Isabel Renich
3/26/2020 01:28:57 pm
The reminder that God is my shepherd helps me remember that he is there to guide me kindly but firmly, and that he will always take care of me. It's a really meaningful image for me.
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Eric Rossman
3/26/2020 10:46:18 pm
"I'm often ruled by the want of comfort or routine"
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Elianne Holt
3/26/2020 09:50:06 pm
Sometimes I think of God as more of a far off being, but this verse shows that he should be in the center of my life.
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Eric Rossman
3/26/2020 10:38:24 pm
I like how you mention that trusting in Jesus opens up freedom. So often it feels like we are missing out on what the other "shepherds" have to offer when we trust and follow Jesus. The reality is trusting in them is robbing us of the amazing freedom and life that is found in Jesus. Everyone of our frustrations in life can be tied to a false shepherd we have put our hope in instead of Jesus.
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Caleb Holt
3/26/2020 09:55:30 pm
I've always tried to be a very autonomous person. I don't like asking for help from anyone, including God. So I definitely tend to rely on my own abilities and achievements to be my shepherd, rather than God. Because of that, I have always both loved and hated this relationship of sheep/shepherd. I hate it because I don't want to need to rely on God most of the time but I love it because it shows that I need to, if that makes sense. Because we weren't created to be able to do everything by ourselves, so if we try to do everything ourself then we are only going to be disappointed in ourselves. But we won't be disappointed if we rely on God.
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Eric Rossman
3/26/2020 10:34:53 pm
"Because of that, I have always both loved and hated this relationship of sheep/shepherd. I hate it because I don't want to need to rely on God most of the time but I love it because it shows that I need to, if that makes sense."
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Bekah Felten
3/27/2020 12:09:44 pm
Sorry I'm late!
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Eric Rossman
3/30/2020 01:52:44 am
You make a good point when you emphasize "MY". You're struggle is common to most of us. When we struggle with perfectionism, it's not just that we want perfection, we want to be the source of that perfection. That is where the MY comes in.
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