If you are like me, you might not have given much thought to the famous verses penned down by David in the 23rd Psalm even though you know it so well. Today I started thinking about the above verse in the Psalm.
You see it was talking about walking through the valley of the shadow of death. Many times we are faced with Life threatening situations and circumstances. I just returned from a trip to the North Central part of Nigeria and on our way there we were told that robbers were on the way we intended to take. When we were returning, a police officer who was in the same vehicle as I, shared stories of how men were shot to death along the same road that we were plying.
The times we are in, sees that the threat of death and dying, is not too far from us. Hence our need to be comforted in the face of all this.
You can receive comfort in the midst of the death threats. Peter who had a wife and maybe children fell asleep between guards even when he had the threat of being beheaded the next day by Herod. What makes a man sleep in the midst of a threat to his life? What stops him from worrying through the night, to sleeping to such an extent that he had to be hit hard at his side by an angel to wake him, when at morning light his children would have lost their father? It is because there can be comfort from God in the valley where the looming shadow of death seems to overwhelm us.
As I thought on the verse above, I wondered why David said that he found succour in the rod and the staff of God in the midst of the valley of the shadow of death. What is this rod and staff that brings comfort in the midst of death threats? I wondered why a shepherd would carry a rod and then a staff. It simply did not make sense to have the two but now I am convinced that the rod and staff are one thing- A shepherds crook.
The Shepherd's Crook is a rod that has a hooked head. It is used by the shepherd to fight off animals to protect the sheep. supports him when he walks, and most importantly(for this write-up)the shepherd uses it to draw back straying sheep. When a sheep begins to wander away from the flock or the shepherd, the shepherd then stretches his crook and catches it by the leg or neck to stop it from straying too far from the shepherds protective presence or the rest of the flock. This crook restricts the sheep from wandering but also keeps him safe where it is not far from the shepherds help and protection.
Many want to live loose, without any control or restrictions placed on them. They do not want to feel any form of resistance on their lives. Some are angry at God's correction or when rebuked by God.They do not want any demands to be made on them to live right and they fail to appreciate the importance of this restrictive influence over their lives.
friend, If you still have this restrictive influence rejoice!
The reason why David said that the rod and staff gives him comfort, is because the Shepherd(God) is never too far when He is using His Crook. As far as, the shepherds crook can still reach the sheep, the sheep can be safe that he will be under the shepherd's protection. Don't seek to live life without Gods restrictions, you would be too far from His protection if you do.
If God still disciplines you, rejoice, because He is not too far from you! God is closest when He still corrects you. If you have noticed that you can do several bad things without feeling guilty, then don't be comfortable in that state of affairs.
Pro 3:11-12 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:
For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
Does God still bring some restrictions to your life? Does His rod and staff bring comfort that He is close to you? That Shepherd's Crook you feel may have saved you from death more than you know!
Seek to live under Gods restrictive influence always!
