SERIES
Sojourn: Toward an Enduring City
2017-07-16T11:00:00-05:00
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright (c)2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. http://www.esv.org
Psalm 23 is one of the most familiar passages in the Bible, and its pastoral imagery shapes our expectations for the Christian life. Once God becomes our Shepherd, we are ready for a good, safe, cup-running-over, sleeping-by-the-stream kind of life.
But for most of us, the days when the Christian life feels like that are few and far between. Everything from work, to relationships, to our physical bodies, to the practice of our faith itself exists in a state of dysfunction and disappointment. And while advancements in learning, organization, technology, and financial planning might give a small measure of distraction or relief, nothing we have or do can restore our souls to the way of life we expected our Shepherd to give us.
How do we make sense of the gap between God’s promise and our experience? Perhaps our Shepherd isn’t good or powerful enough to help us overcome these valleys and enemies? Or perhaps we as His sheep simply aren’t deserving of the tranquil life we once hoped for. Or perhaps there is another explanation for all of the valleys and enemies we encounter in this sojourn.
It may sound odd at first, but throughout the Bible we learn that our wise Shepherd regularly leads us through valleys and before enemies. He does this not to punish us, but to purify us. While we may be busy looking for ways of escape, He is busy teaching us the way to Himself. Chad explained it this way in his sermon, “Your anxieties, your fears, and your burdens are not obstacles that you have to overcome in order to connect with God. It’s just the opposite. They are opportunities in your life to grow in intimacy, love, and connection with God Himself.” Or as the psalmist puts it, “I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and staff, they comfort me (Psalm 23:4).”
The day will come when we experience the lush comfort, rest, goodness, and mercy in all of its fullness in the new heaven and earth. Until that day, we rest in the promise that our Shepherd is good, powerful, and wise with us and for us in Christ Jesus our Lord.