A word fitly spoken is like APPLES OF GOLD in a setting of silver – Proverbs 25v11
In verse 3 of Psalm 23, the Psalmist continues his contemplation of the Lord as his shepherd by writing “he refreshes (restores)my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake”. The Hebrew word which is translated “refreshes”, has the idea of the rescue of a lost or straying sheep. A shepherd who doesn’t do this because he is incompetent, lazy or careless will soon lose credibility and be rejected from his position. Jesus in His parable of the Good Shepherd says in Luke 15v4: ‘Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?“ Jesus uses this metaphor to explain God’s care for His people – so friends, don’t believe people who tell you that the Lord abandons you when you stray – sure you will suffer the consequences of straying and getting lost, but He will always rescue and restore you. The Psalm continues that He guides along the right paths for His name’s sake. What are these right paths? They may be narrow, they may be rough, they may be the opposite way to what we would choose, they may involve pain, but they will be right for our spiritual well-being and the Lord’s honour and glory. Our shepherd ,Jesus Christ, is committed to “ bringing to completion the good work He has begun in us” (Philippians 1v6) not because we are worthy of it, but because he is jealous of his name.
What is His name? Lord Jesus Christ? His human name Jesus, means Saviour, because He saves us from our sins, but He is also Lord and Christ (anointed one). The prophet Isaiah foretold the name of Jesus when he wrote in Isaiah 9v6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”. Notice the adjectives to describe His name: wonderful, mighty, everlasting and prince.
Friend, if your path seems to be on the way to nowhere, reach out and cry to the Good Shepherd and He will guide you in the right path because He has to be true to His name.
God Bless
Graeme Greenwood