The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.
Psalm 23:1-3
Mine!
Daily Devotion – April 26, 2024
Devotion based on Psalm 23:1-3
See series: Devotions
Mine! A child reaches for a toy, rips it from his brother’s hands, and shouts, “Mine!” Certainly, a lesson in sharing is in order when it comes to playing. But a heart that cries out “Mine!” isn’t always a bad thing. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, loves us so deeply and possessively that he declares, “Mine!” And when a heart responds to Jesus’ love, it shouts, “Mine! You are mine, and I am yours!”
The writer of this psalm pictures himself as a helpless sheep, no longer helpless because the Lord is his shepherd. Hear the possessive love, “My Shepherd!” I am his and he is mine forever. Mine! None of us are literal sheep or literal shepherds, but we can appreciate the imagery. Even if you’re not a sheep, can’t you picture the peace and quiet of lying down on the green grass near a babbling brook where you’re just resting, no longer running around and scrambling through a frantic life? The Lord, our Good Shepherd, gives us a rest far greater than that! He gives us rest for our souls. He refreshes us with the very love of God to sustain us all our days and give us eternal life. These blessings are not something I have to wait for; right now, they are mine through Jesus!
The Lord shepherds you through this life with a love so tender and possessive, a love that screams from a gruesome cross and then from an empty tomb, and now from a throne in heaven, “Mine! You are mine!” your Good shepherd declares. And throughout this life, we can confidently respond, “Mine!” Jesus and all his blessings are mine! The Lord is my Shepherd. He shepherds us through life and to our final destination—heaven, where we will be at peace in our Good Shepherd’s arms. He is mine, and I am his. Forever.
Prayer:
Lord, you are my Shepherd, and I lack nothing. “Surely, your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Amen.
