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Psalm 23

Real Help

Why doesn’t God help me the way I want? Work is hard, chores are boring, family is painful, future is scary and life is tiring. God is all powerful so why does the lawn still need to be mowed, why are there things to be fixed at home, why do the kids keep fighting and why do the bills out number my income?

Through the valley of death

Can’t God help? Or won’t God help? If a person has been diagnosed with cancer how will it help them if we raised money so that we could give them a care, send their kids off to rehabilitation so that they came back civilised, a new car, an easier and higher paying job. None of this would make sense since they have cancer, they are going to die. Wouldn’t be better if we could do something about their cancer so that they could live. Wouldn’t they be happy to return to their small imperfect home with fighting kids and a boring job?

So it is with God. We want what does not matter while ignoring our greatest need. We rush headlong through our lives missing and ignoring our need for God himself. We substitute him for that which in comparison is worthless. We are like sheep who have gone astray. We are lost in the wilderness and the howling of the wolfs has frozen our blood.

We need a shepherd who is going to care for, not just in terms of food and shelter. We need his care to heal our broken hearts, to heal the wounds that so scar us. We need him to refresh us and restore our very souls. Not with plasma TV’s but with a real experience of our Shepherds care within our daily lives, within the wreckage of our family, work and church

When we are sounded by the wolfs we want the Rod and Staff not only to protect us but to guide us into safety. We need the Shepherds comfort in the dark times of our lives. So often we stumble and fall. These are times when we doubt our salvation or our faith as being genuine. And yet our shepherd assures us that we will never be lost from him, that we will one day dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Why? Because he is going to make sure that we make it because he will care for us, he will comfort us and he will protect us, never to forsake us.

God doesn’t help me the way I want because he is concerned about giving me real help. the Rev

Sermon Psalm 23 Love your Shepherd

Bible Reading: Psalm 23

Exercises

• Share and explore in what ways Christ’s looks after you, be specific (Psalm 23:1-3).

• Share and explore in what ways Christ’s comforts you, be specific (Psalm 23:4).

• Share and explore in what ways Christ’s assures you, be specific (Psalm 23:5-6).

• Share in what way you will Shepherd someone for Christ this week, be specific.

Prayer: Heavenly Father forgive us for turning to false shepherds for care, comfort and assurance. Thanks for providing us a good shepherd who looks after us, who comforts us and assures us of our salvation, particularly when we give into temptation, when we stumble and when we feel overwhelmed.