Title: The Lord is My Shepherd
Contents
Title: The Lord is my shepherd
Main text: Psalm 23
The ear of our body is an organ that recognizes the sense of sound that recognizes air vibrations through the ossicles, the cochlea, and the auditory nerve. However, our ears not only sense sound, but also play a role in the sense of position and balance through the cochlea. If the cochlea is malfunctioning, you can feel dizzy, have a headache, and just collapse to the point where it's hard to stand still. It looks like a four-wheeled car will run well in balance, but there is also balance data that balances camber, toe-in alignment, wheel balance, etc., so it can run well. Even tall buildings are rooted in the deep ground and look strong, but they need to be balanced through plumbing measurements and tilt data to preserve them for a long time. If this balance is disturbed, both people and cars will inevitably get sick, break down, or collapse into buildings.
Just as we need balance in our lives, we also need a balanced faith and a balanced church and family. This is called shalom and the church built on the rock. What is the way to build a church built on the rock with shalom?
First. You have to create beauty in relationships.
In Psalm 23, green pastures or resting waters that express idyllic peace are mentioned. And while it appears to be quiet and peaceful, it is actually shalom from constant fighting. Even though I walk through the valley of death, I am not afraid of evil. As the saying goes, “The Lord is with me,” it is the peace I have gained in my relationship with God in the midst of constant battle. Shalom is a very important tool to achieve a balanced life of faith. This is because shalom is not a state of being alone or in a state of being in a flat marriage, but it can be obtained through fighting external circumstances, fighting oneself, and in a relationship with God. A balanced life requires a good relationship with God.
Second. I must have the Lord as my shepherd.
If you look at people's outlook on life, they place a lot of value on self-centeredness, self-rationalization, and self-purpose. However, such a view of life is different for each person, so there is no choice but to collide, degenerate, or break. The life of serving the Lord as my shepherd begins with confessing that I cannot be the subject of my life. Like a singer's confession, he told me what I didn't know, and I often give up on myself, but he never gives up on me. Therefore, for a balanced life, you must have the Lord as your subject and shepherd.
Thirdly. You must follow the shepherd like a sheep.
We humans are all like sheep.
Sheep have no horns, no claws, no sharp teeth, and are not as fast as wild beasts. You are too weak to survive in a harsh world, so you need someone to protect you. It is also an object of nurture that must be trimmed as it grows, and it is also a creature that needs a shepherd's care because it is short-sighted. Psalm 95 says that we are the sheep of his pasture, the sheep of his hand. John 10:14 says that I am the Good Shepherd, and I know the sheep and the sheep know me.
Therefore, for a balanced life, we must follow the Lord who is the Good Shepherd.
A balanced life is to be served as my shepherd by the Lord, and what is given to him is the green pastures and quiet waters that the Lord has given him. It is our privilege and duty to enjoy and preserve.
A young man with the American dream worked hard for a long time and boarded a ship bound for America. I bought a boarding pass, but I couldn't eat delicious food like others, so I lived on dry bread prepared at home for more than a month. When he got off the ship when he arrived in America, a crew member asked him why he didn't eat with him, but quietly hid and ate alone. The young man said that he did not have enough money to eat at that time, so he drank dry bread and water prepared at home. The flight attendant is startled, and the ticket includes food, so why? The young man is shocked by his ignorance.
That's right. Green pastures and still waters that the Lord has given are gifts from God that balance everything. A lot of people still don't know this. You say you know, but you can't follow. I hope you share this precious gift from the Lord with many unbelievers.