Psalm 23
is one of the best known books of the Bible. Even non-believers tend to know something about it. I thought I knew this verse well but I had something something jump out at me this morning…
Verse 4 says “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.”
I tend to create mental images that help me visualize the point that God is making in a verse and this verse had always left me thinking of Jesus out in front of me, wielding his staff in one hand and rod in the other, something like a Ninja. Jesus was my bodyguard, clearing the way and beating back all the baddies trying to accost me.
As I read this morning though I got a visual of how a Sheppard uses his rod and staff for correction. He will “Hook” or “tap” a wayward sheep to keep them from straying into real danger. I realized that God is telling me that I will find comfort and protection through obedience, through following His ways. There are many people who aren’t into “religion” because they feel that it is just a bunch of rules designed to control people. It is pretty easy to lose sight that God’s “rules” aren’t there to restrict our freedom – rather to keep me from harms way.
