(Psalm 23:1-6) The Lord is my shepherd,
I will not be in need.2 He lets me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For the sake of His name.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I 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 have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
6 Certainly goodness and faithfulness will follow me all the days of my life,
And my dwelling will be in the house of the Lord forever.
TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:
God's "rod and staff" are to keep evil away from us, as well as to keep us away from evil. A shepherd uses his staff to not only beat off dangerous animals, but he uses the crook of the staff to pull sheep out of snags and off of dangerous ledges. So we have this lovely picture of God protecting us from danger, sometimes warding off evil, and sometimes pulling us away from evil.
The rod is also used as a symbol of discipline, and we know that God disciplines those He loves (Proverbs 3:12). This is up to us as to how and what occurs. When we choose to be obedient in the Lord's strength, because we trust that God has best intentions for our lives, we choose the more pleasant form of discipline by leaning on His wisdom and guidance. It's still work, but in the long run, it is far more pleasant! Just like learning a musical instrument, one has to practice scales. And just like an athlete, one has to workout, prepare, and learn form and/or tactics.
Regarding the other form of discipline: God punishes the unbelievers, but disciplines His children. This is also a form of protection - to protect us from ourselves - from our own sinful actions! Being disciplined should and will be uncomfortable! It helps us to remember that when we sin, there are consequences. For believers, these consequences will only happen now, before we graduate to heaven.
When believers get to heaven, we will not be scolded or disciplined. We will be home with our heavenly Father for all eternity, where there is no evil. God will pull us up to heaven with His staff, and will also make sure that all evil and unbelievers do not enter. There will not be any sin in heaven. There will only be God's goodness. Anyone can be there, but only because of one's faith in Jesus Christ... because of HIS goodness and faithfulness! Accepting Jesus' free gift of salvation is the ultimate comfort and protection!
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