May 18 - He Cares for Me
Have you come to a place in your life that you think no one cares for you and that you are alone and isolated? Like King Saul, you are left alone to fend for yourselves and you blame those around you and your closest friends and relatives for not taking good care of you? Do you feel betrayed by others? Saul was in such a situation when his servant David was seemingly plotting to take over his throne, when his own son Jonathan made a pact with David and betrayed his own father, when those in his court were not caring for his welfare, he was really mad. He told his servants, “Hear now, people of Benjamin …. all of you have conspired against me …. no one discloses to me ….. none of you is sorry for me or discloses to me ….” Is this how you are feeling right now?
If you feel alone and betrayed, if you spend much of your time in self-preservation and the pursuing of your enemies, you are under attack by the enemy. Jesus said that thieves come to steal, kill and destroy. Your enemy is trying to take away what you have, your life, your health, your wealth, your family and your relationships. In order to protect what you have, you feel that you need to root out your enemies and have those closest to you to go on the same course. You are insecure and trusting only in yourself to make things work.
Remember, you are a sheep, with very little firepower or equipment to protect yourself and what you have. Have you ever seen a sheep scare away the wolves or a sheep killing a lion? Yes, you are a sheep and need protection. When the feeling of insecurity comes, you need to go to the Good Shepherd instead of, like King Saul, take the law into your own hands or seek the help of those around you.
The most secured sheep is the one who is in the sheepfold under the care of the shepherd. The twenty-third psalm describes a beautiful picture about the security of the sheep under Jehovah our Shepherd. Here, Jesus was reaffirming His protection on His sheep. He was not a hired hand or professional clergy. He used His voice to call the sheep and the sheep recognized His voice; He gave them abundant life and He protected the sheep with His own life. He was going to bring all other sheep into His sheepfold. The cross is the best symbol for our Good Shepherd for He laid down His life for His sheep.
The readings from the Book of Psalms in the recent weeks are all about asking the Lord’s salvation and deliverance. The presence of the enemy, or the thieves has become a common theme. If you think that you have no enemy in this life, think again. There is a spiritual enemy who always plots for your demise. You need the Good Shepherd, rest in His protection now!
Ps 70:1-5 1 Sam 22:1-23:29 John 10:1-21 Prov 15:18-19