He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Psalm 23:3 KJV
David, as a shepherd boy first before he became the shepherd of Israel under God's watchful eye, understood what it meant to be tired and refreshed. He would take the sheep out to find pasture, and he had to protect them from natural elements as well as the beasts of the field that would seek to eat the sheep. If any of the sheep was tired or hurt, it was his duty to care for it and nurse it back to health. The sheep was totally dependent on the shepherd for all its needs. As it was for the sheep then, so is it for us today. No matter how old we grow, how rich we become, how much we know or how much we acquire, we can never outgrow our need for the shepherd.
Today's extract is just one out of the many roles of the shepherd. For the shepherd to be able to restore the soul, the soul must have been battered by life's storms and winds. Restoration is a return to original position before the change occured, and in this instance, would mean that God is able to restore me to where I was before the threat. He is also able to keep me, even in the midst of the trouble. He is not just interested in what I put on my body, but He is also concerned about the state of my soul. Man's best efforts can only affect the body; God is able to address the needs of both body and soul, and of course, the demands of the spirit also.
He takes me by the hand and leads me in the paths He chooses, which will give glory to Him. The paths are of righteousness, which is His nature, and shows that God's best intentions line up with whatever He allows. If He brings it my way, it is because He knows it will work out for my good. If He keeps it away from me, it means it is either not for me at all, or the fulness of time for it has not yet come. With God, there are no accidents; with Him, there are no near-misses, as long as I am tuned in to God's perfect will. I have to understand this: when I carry God around, making claim to His name, that name is at stake.
God will never allow anything bring that name to shame. When I identify with God as my shepherd, his name is branded upon my life. Life will happen to me, as long as I am on this side of eternity, but if the owner of life is in charge of mine, I am assured of his presence, protection, provision and peace. He leads, I follow. He restores, I respond by grateful and responsible living. In all spheres of life, no matter how complex, God has paths that glorify Him and make Him known. I will do well to know who this God is, and what He has called me into, so that my life's choices will glorify Him. God's time of favour is here.
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