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Fear can grip our hearts and steal peace from our hearts. Yet as believers we need not fear anymore because God is the Good Shepherd who leads us to safety. In Part 1 [click] we started examining Ps 23:1-4 to discover why we should fear no more. The first key we discover is because God is there for us, He guides us through even the valley of death. In Part 2 we discover more key reasons from the psalms why we need not be gripped by fear any longer.
2. GOD JOURNEYS WITH ME (v4b) "for you are with me".
In biblical times, the good shepherd always journeys with his sheep to ensure their safety. Another reason why we should not fear is because God assures us that He journeys with us.
Isaiah 41:10 (NIV) So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
God journeys with us and will be there to help us, to strengthen us, to uphold us. God does not give us a roadmap and leave us to our own devices. He actually is with us. Though the entire journey. Imagine travelling through a jungle full of dangerous animals. The tour guide says, “Here, I will draw you a map. Now you can go through it yourself!” How much more assuring when the guide says he will take us through it as well as fend off the animals. What is the extent that God travels with us?
God does not give us a roadmap and leave us to our own devices. He actually is with us
One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to my Lord.
After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.
This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
"Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
You'd walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me."
He whispered, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you."
Poem “Footprints”
Once, I was very sick with Legionnaire’s disease. My temperature was persistently very high. When I was admitted to the hospital the doctor told me he had never seen such a bad case of pneumonia as my lungs were half full of fluid. When a medical friend visited, he helpfully informed me that people die from this disease. Thanks very much. Yet I was not afraid because deep in my heart, I knew God was with me. The peace of God guarded my heart. God journeys with us all the way.
3. GOD COVERS OVER ME (v4c) “… your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
As God journeys with us, He spreads His wings over us to cover over us. We need not be fearful because of several things that God provides as the good shepherd.
God’s protection “your rod”.
The rod is a tool that a shepherd uses for protecting the sheep. The rod is a club that is often thrown at intruders. A good shepherd can throw his club with accuracy and force. In the same way, God protect us against enemies with His rod, to strike them. The psalmist was declaring about the fact that God is our protector against our enemies.
Isaiah 35:4 (NIV) say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you."
God can protect us with His holy angels. At one time, King of Aram wanted to capture the prophet Elisha. So he sent an army to Dothan and surrounded the city. Elisha’s servant panicked when he saw the army surrounding the city. But Elisha knew God had provided protection.
2 Kings 6:16-18 (NIV) 16 "Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." 17 And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18 As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, "Strike these people with blindness." So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.
God can also strike down our enemies, as in Elisha’s case. Bill Bright shared a story that occurred in 1960, when the Mau Mau uprising gripped Kenya. During that time, missionaries Matt and Lora Higgens had to drive through hostile territory on their way to Nairobi, well aware that many had met violent deaths at the hands of Mau Mau terrorists in that area. After dark, about 17 miles from Nairobi, the Land Rover they were driving failed. Matt tried in vain to repair the vehicle. The couple was forced to lock the doors and pray for safety. They awoke safely, repaired the car, and traveled on to Nairobi.
Some days later, they heard an interesting story from an individual who was in contact with terrorist groups: As Matt and Lora had slept that night; three terrorists had come upon them and intended to kill them. Suddenly, though, the terrorists had seen 16 strongmen surrounding the car, and fled in fear! Matt and Lora were puzzled about the identity of the 16 men. Until they returned to America several weeks later and heard the thrilling testimony of a friend: “On March 23, God burdened my heart for you. I called the men at our church, and 16 of us met together for emergency prayer on your behalf!”
There have probably been many situations where our angels had protected us. One day when we see them in heaven, we might discover some of them were probably badly bruised. So if we can trust in God’s protection, we will not overcome by fear.
God’s discipline “your staff”.
The staff was the instrument the shepherd used to deal with his sheep. It was not a weapon but a tool. Most staffs had a hooked end that the shepherd used to catch a sheep’s leg or neck to pull it out of a hole or back into the fold. The shepherd would nudge a sheep with his staff when it began to stray or when it was hesitant to move along with the flock.
Sometimes we are a danger to ourselves. So God covers us by prodding us out of danger. Sometimes due to our foolishness, ignorance or stubbornness, we get ourselves into trouble. God is there to help us through it. I am not saying God will wave a wand and the problem disappears. But God is there to help us out of it. If we would turn to Him in humility. If God simply removes the trouble, we would not learn the lesson from it. Sometimes we need a few scars to remind us of our foolishness. At times God disciplines us when necessary so that we may grow up.
Hebrews 12:10-11 (NIV) 10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
So we can trust in God’s discipline, it is meant to protect us. That is why we need not be fearful.
We can trust in God’s discipline, it is meant to protect us. That is why we need not be fearful.
God’s comfort “…they comfort me”.
David was fearless in the valley because he knew his Shepherd would protect him from all deadly threats, including his own waywardness. His Shepherd would keep him close to His side in the darkness and would be with him through every step until he passed safely through to the light on the other side.
One great comfort to us is surely in knowing that our Shepherd's hand covers over us. To bring us through even the darkest hours of our life into the light at the other end.
One great comfort to us is surely in knowing that our Shepherd's hand covers over us. To bring us through even the darkest hours of our life into the light at the other end.
CONCLUSION
Are you struggling with fears in your life? Perhaps it is time to go to the Great Shepherd. To allow Him to guide us rather than to do things our way. Let Him guide us to paths of righteousness. Let Him protect and even discipline us. That we may experience a deep comfort in our hearts and not be gripped by fears.
Copyright©️2021 by Wilson Lim & Lai Ling Lim. All rights reserved. Materials are free to be distributed in whole or part as long as proper acknowledgement is given to the author and not sold for profit.
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