Good morning from deck 14 of the Liberty of the Seas, somewhere in the middle of the Caribbean Sea. Throughout the week I have found this great little spot in a nook of this deck that faces the western horizon. As I sit here this morning, it’s 6am and quiet as a mouse. I grabbed my coffee down on deck 5 and I’m excited to spend some time with God. The sun is peeking above the clouds as we motor smoothly back towards the gulf of Mexico. Today is the last day at sea, tomorrow we will arrive back into Galveston at 7am. Life on a ship is an odd thing. 4000 people from all walks of life jumbled together for one week of fun and food. (Heavy on the food.) The people watching is second to none. When I talk to people about cruising, I usually hear a few objections. One, the ship will sink like the Titanic and we’ll all die. Two, cruises are dirty and everybody gets sick on every cruise. Three, (my favorite) cruises are boring, there is nothing to do. The days at sea are usually busier for us than the port days! We love Royal Caribbean and they have almost 100 different things to do each ‘travel day’ or day at sea.
Today we will be taking a tour of the galley and seeing first hand how they prepare and serve over 20,000 meals a day. (they also wash an amazing 180,000 plates a day!). After the tour there is a special lunch sampling of the finest appetizers from the specialty restaurants onboard and then it all culminates in a gourmet steak lunch. In Dan & Margie’s world, steak is quite the special treat and doesn’t happen very often. In fact, I can’t recall many times I’ve ever had a big steak for lunch. Fun times and first times. Later today, we’re gonna try out the water slides up on deck 13 and maybe after dinner tonight watch the new Mission Impossible movie on the 25' big screen out by the main pool. A movie under the stars at sea. I don’t know how people could say there’s nothing to do, our day is so packed, we’re going to have to plan effectively to make sure we get our afternoon nap in! Oh, the hardships of cruising.
The week is coming to close and what a great week it has been, with lots of time for Margie and me to just focus on God and each other and discuss what He is doing in our lives. I say this a lot, but one the biggest blessings in my life right now is that when Margie and sit down to talk, God is usually the topic. We study His Word together, we pray together, we discuss His plans and speak of His blessings that rain down upon us each day. He is the focus of our lives and He is the focus of our marriage. God is indeed good, and we look forward to blessing His name by bearing fruit for Him in the future in whatever ways He might ask.
Let’s wrap up Psalm 23 by covering the last few verses.
“Your rod and your staff, they comfort me”
This is yet another great verse that is packed with underlying meaning. Picture in your mind, David, a lone shepherd boy on a remote mountain side tending his sheep. In his day, they had no rifles or other modern day forms of defense so the shepherds relied on only 2 things, their rod and their staff. When a boy grew old enough to become a shepherd the selection of his rod was a big deal. The elders would help the young lad select just the right fresh sapling and it would be dug from the ground. The rod would be hand carved to fit the boy and even the handle would be hand-carved to fit his hand perfectly. Then came the hard part. The practice and perfection of its use. The young man would practice for hours on end learning how to use his new rod. The use? A weapon. The rod was the shepherd’s only defense. Defense against predators such as cougars, coyotes, wild dogs, snakes, and possibly even other humans if they were thieves. It was also used to correct the sheep if they became belligerent to the shepherd. The rod was basically a small compact club (like a police baton) and was carved in a way that allowed it to be thrown with great accuracy. The boy would practice until he could hit just about anything he aimed at and he could do it quickly and efficiently. The rod was an extremely valuable tool to the shepherd in the tireless defense of his sheep. But the rod served another purpose also. As the sheep would be brought in and out of the gates, the shepherd would use his rod to inspect the sheep below their wool. He would use it to part the thick wool to search for parasites, disease or other irritations to the sheep’s delicate skin.
Now think on this. The rod here is meant to resemble the Word of God. It protects us from the evils of this world. If we stray, it can offer us a rebuke that will return us to the flock. It also inspects us, looking within for our true intentions and motivations. God’s Word judges our hearts and minds and the motives wherein. We are told in Hebrews 4:12, “for the Word of God is alive and active, sharper than any two edged sword, piercing to the division of the soul and of the spirit, of joints and marrow and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” God’s Word is the tool that the Good Shepherd uses in so many diverse ways. To protect us from ourselves, to set us on the right path and to keep us from the evils of this world. Praise God for the miracle of His living Word.
The staff however, was a completely different tool. If the rod was an aggressive weapon, the staff was one of comfort and control. I think we are all hyper aware of a shepherd’s staff and what it looks like. In fact, did you know that shepherds are the only livestock managers in the world that use a staff? It was purely created to tend to sheep and sheep only. The staff is of course a long slender wooden pole that has a crook on one end. The staff is used for several different purposes:
1) Move newborn lambs to their mothers. As the flock was moved to new fields, the small new lambs could easily get separated from their mothers. If the scent of the shepherd’s hands were to get on the new lambs, the mother might not nurse, so the staff was crucial. The shepherd would use the long staff to lovingly reunite separated newborn lambs with its mothers, to be nourished and cared for. This was a constant task for the shepherd and the staff was very visible to the sheep as he worked. Imagine a frantic mother searching for her lamb and out of nowhere the lamb appears, guided by the shepherd’s comforting staff.
2) To reach out and draw individual sheep to himself for closer examination. The shepherd was always intently and keenly examining his sheep. Looking for pests, disease, wounds, matts in the wool, and general signs of dehydration and mal-nourishment. If he saw a sheep that caused him concern, he would use the staff to draw the sheep closer to himself for inspection. Imagine that the sheep had a wound or pest problem. The shepherd sees this, draws it near with his staff and after closer inspection resolves the problem to the comfort of the sheep. Once again, the sheep will associate the staff with the comfort and peace that it offered.
3) To guide the sheep. The shepherd as he moved the flock into new pastures would use his staff for guidance of the sheep. The sheep knew not of where they were going and depended entirely upon the shepherd. He would use the staff to gently nudge the sheep within the flock and guide their steps and keep them on the path he intended for them. He would apply gentle steady pressure to their sides for reassurance and comfort as they walked. Imagine a sheep becoming a little skittish as they encountered new surroundings, unaware of what lies ahead. The sheep could feel the reassurance of the staff gently and lovingly on its side. The presence of the staff meant the presence of the shepherd and even though they might not be able to see him, they knew the shepherd was close if they could feel or see the reassurance of the staff.
4) Free the sheep from entanglements and problems. Sheep just like us are prone to wander. As they did, they would encounter all kinds of problems. They would get stuck trying to squeeze through a fence to get to the ‘greener grass on the other side.’ They would get stuck in thickets or thorns trying to greedily get that last piece of grass. They would get too deep into some water and lose buoyancy and be in risk of drowning. If and when, any of these occurred, the shepherd would find them and then use his staff to free them from the bondage they had found in this world. Once again, the sheep would associate the staff with bringing them freedom, comfort and help in their time of need.
Think on this. The staff represents the Holy Spirit. In John 16:7, Jesus tells us He must go away so that a helper could be sent in His place. The helper He is speaking of is the Holy Spirit.
“Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” John 16:7
The Holy Spirit helps us navigate this world. It brings us comfort and helps us to mature in Christ. As we find ourselves getting entangled in the sins of the world, the Holy Spirit convicts us and helps us to be freed. No matter how far we stray, the Holy Spirit will find us and bring us back. The Holy Spirit is the constant pressure, the constant feel of that staff on our side, guiding us, leading us in the paths that are right for us. What a beautiful picture of our Good Shepherd’s staff.
What a vivid picture of both the rod and the staff. I hope now you can better understand why “His rod and His staff comfort us.” Just as the shepherd used these tools to lovingly and patiently care for his sheep, God uses His Holy Word and His Holy Spirit to lovingly and patiently care for us, guide us, and free us from the troubles of this world.
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies”
As part of the cyclical annual journey of the shepherd and his sheep, the summer would bring them into the mountains, in search of fresh unused pastures and fresh water. Some shepherds would take their flocks into the mountains for almost a full 90-120 days, sleeping in the high plateaus with them so he could tend to their needs closely. In fact, do you remember when God sends Samuel to Jesse’s house to select a new king from his sons to replace Saul? He passed on all the sons until only one was remaining but he was not there. Do you remember where David was? He was “keeping the sheep”. (1 Sam 16:11). David knew of the seasons of being a shepherd intimately, he lived them.
Now, do you think that the shepherd just aimlessly herded his sheep up the mountain and hoped for the best? Hoped that water and green pastures would just magically appear? Of course not. The lives of his sheep depended on him, wherever he took his sheep he was responsible for their welfare. In preparing for the summer months, the shepherd would journey into the mountains to scout the terrain and prepare a place for the sheep. Green pastures just don’t happen, the shepherd would work tirelessly to ensure the soil was prepared, rocks removed, and poisonous weeds gone before lush green grass could adequately feed his sheep. He would also dig, carve or clean out current cisterns that would hold clean water for his sheep. There was much preparation to be done to prepare for his sheep. But if you notice it says prepare a table for me. Sheep don’t eat off a table so how is this meaning to be understood? Well, the high plateaus around the world are often referred to as “mesas.” In Spanish, the word mesa means table. Also, oddly enough, in the East African language of Kiswahili, the word for table is also mesa. The translation in the day of David would have more appropriately been “tablelands.” Tablelands or tables would be used to described these high flat plateaus where a shepherd could grow green grass and have a nice flat place in the mountains to take his sheep in the summer months.
This a picture of our Good Shepherd going before us to prepare for us. He goes before us to make sure all is safe and secure. The shepherd as he prepared the tablelands would eradicate all poisonous plants, and do his best to drive away all predators that would be in the area. He did all he could to prepare the area before his beloved sheep arrived later. He prepares the tablelands into lush green fields in the presence of our enemies that would do us harm. Praise God for going ahead of us.
“You anoint my head with oil”
In this verse it’s very important to remember our context, David is a sheep addressing His Good Shepherd. This is not the head of a human we are speaking of but of course the head of a sheep. There are several diseases and pests that can greatly harm and even kill a sheep and they all attack the sheep’s head. “Scab” is a disease that is spread among sheep. It is spread as sheep affectionately rub their heads together in greeting. If the disease surfaces within the flock, it can quickly spread from one sheep to another. Another problem deals with the “nose fly” or “nasal fly.” These flies lay their eggs on the moist area around the sheep’s nose and the larvae when hatched will work their way into the nasal membranes, greatly harming the sheep. Both of these are serious issues that the shepherd could not afford to merely be in reaction to. A good shepherd would be very cautious and very proactive in his approach to these two problems that could cause his flock great harm. So what was the remedy? Well, in David’s day it was a home remedy. Most shepherds would create a homemade oil based concoction that they would spread all over the sheep’s nose, head and face. It usually included linseed oil, sulfur and tar. Different shepherds had different formulas, but they all knew the need in the proper season to apply this ‘oil’ to the heads of their sheep.
There’s a few things of note here.
1) How does the disease spread amongst the sheep? When they get their heads together. We need to be very cautious of ourselves or others being toxic within the body of Christ. In James 3:8, he talks about “the tongue being a restless evil full of deadly poison, even being set on fire by hell.” Our speech can be a deadly poison that not only kills but infects others. You’ve seen this happen over and over, somebody with a bad attitude infects all those around them and before long you’ve got a whole group with bad motives. We should be careful that we’re not rubbing heads with the wrong people.
2) Do you think the shepherds would apply the oil to the heads of the sheep once per year? Nope. They would need to reapply the oil often in order for it to have its full effect. The oil is once again, symbolic of the Holy Spirit. We are anointed with God’s Holy Spirit when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. This is a one time deal, we will not ever need to do it again, once you accept Christ, your Salvation is eternal.
"And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life." 1 John 5:11-13
But if you are saved and living in sin you can “quench the Holy Spirit” with your sin. You must confess your sins directly to God and ask forgiveness. This is a process that must be repeated just like the shepherd repeatedly anointing the heads of his sheep with the protective ointment. The Lord anoints us indeed. He anoints us with the protection and guidance of His Holy Spirit.
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life”
Up until now, the Psalmist has been placing the emphasis on how his loving shepherd cares for him. In the last two verses, the tone changes to one of praise. Praise for the loving care that the shepherd has provided. This is the sheep singing out praises for a shepherd that provides for his every need, his every care and lovingly addresses all the turmoil in its life. I love that, of all the words David could have chosen to describe God, he chooses goodness and mercy. If I could pick 2 words to describe how God cares for us, I would pick these 2 words as well. Goodness and mercy. God is good, isn’t he? As sinners we deserve nothing but death. Eternal separation from God. But out of his endless goodness God made a way. He sent his only Son to this planet to live a perfect life, only to die on a cross to complete the way. This goodness coupled with mercy is what this world needed. God had mercy on a sinful people and out of His goodness he sent Jesus. And how long shall we walk in this goodness and mercy. My friends, “all the days of our lives.” What a promise and what a praise we have here. This is one of my favorite verses and one I can always rely on in times of trial. We serve a God that is rich in goodness and mercy. A good shepherd that provides for every need of his precious sheep. And he will provide it all the days of our lives.
“And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever”
The curious word here is house. Most people think it relates back to the verse where Jesus says, “ Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms.." John 14:1-2a. But remember, we’re still hearing the sheep rejoicing about his good shepherd. But sheep don’t live in houses so how will the sheep be in the house of the Lord forever? The term house is meant here to represent the “home pastures” of the flock. We have seen David take us through a year’s journey with a shepherd and his flock. They have gone from the green pastures and clear streams of the home range through valleys, into many new pastures, and even into the tablelands of the high mesas. Through the seasons they have seen storms, heat, cold, sleet and snow. But at the end of the year they are returning to the home range. As the old song said, ‘Home on the range.’ There would have been a very sweet feeling for the sheep as well as the shepherd to finally return back home to the familiarity and goodness of home land. After a long trip doesn’t it always feel so great to finally get back to good ol’ home? Once you do get home what do you do? You reflect on your trip, on your journey. That is this verse. The shepherd had lovingly herded the sheep all over in the last year and provided for all of their needs. The sheep never wanted or needed for anything as the shepherd had forecasted their every need and provided in a way that was not only basic but exceed that with love, goodness and care that the sheep appreciated on a deep level. This is the sheep basically saying, “I love my shepherd and I love the way he cares for me, I think I will stick around and be in his flock forever.” Or maybe also they might say, “I love this guy and I’m gonna hang around this ranch a long, long time!” You might also simply read it as, “I will dwell in His care forever.” Can you think of a better place to dwell forever than in the goodness and mercy of the Good Shepherd? What a beautiful place we have as a sheep in the care of the Good Shepherd.
What an unbelievable experience this has been to deeply explore Psalm 23 this week while cruising through the Caribbean. I’ve learned so much and God has spoken to me in so many ways as I’ve studied His glorious Word. I pray that this study has spoken to you. That you have a better understanding of the goodness and mercy of our Good Shepherd as it is laid out Psalm 23.
Here's a synopsis:
He is and always will be my shepherd. In His care I will want for nothing, today, tomorrow or ever. He comforts me, protects me and provides for me, allowing me to lie down and rest in His abundant provision. He leads me and guides me in the paths that He has made for me. In these paths, I will bear fruit for His glory. I will not fear tough times in this life, for His Word and His Holy Spirit will comfort me. He goes before me, preparing my paths and he keeps the evil of this world from me. His goodness and mercy will abound all the days of my life and because my Shepherd loves me so, I will never leave His care.
He is my Good, Good Shepherd.
Amen.
