October 12, 2023

Scripture Reading: Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
   He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
   he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
   for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
   I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
   your rod and your staff—
   they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
   in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
   my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
   all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
   my whole life long.

I grew up on a farm, learning where our food originated early in life. Chickens had to be killed to have chicken legs for dinner. Cows had to be milked, tomatoes had to be picked after they had been carefully planted, watered, and the land around them weeded. I jokingly tell people I was put in charge of chickens when I was five years old, but it is true. I was responsible for feeding and watering them, gathering their eggs, and locking the door to our hen house when they all went into roost for the night so the coyotes would not eat them. I was the youngest in my family. Everybody had their chores based on their age and abilities. I have also lied down in green pastures and visited with God.

I have lived in cities for most of my life since I was 18 and entered college.  I morphed easily into becoming a city person, but I still have the imprint of rural living on my soul. Most of my immediate family either live on farms or in small rural towns, which keeps me honest about my upbringing.  Just as Psalm 23 took me back to my days of lying in our pasture and studying the blue sky or, at night, all the stars in the sky. I miss stars that are too far above city lights to see.

I am not sure what lessons Psalm 23 has for those who have never experienced the life of one caring for animals. The one thing I can share with you is the constant care shepherds have to provide for their sheep. There are no days off unless someone else is called to take the shepherd’s place. There are no city lights to show the way in the dark. One must put their faith in God when no light is in sight.

Since I have many more years of city experience, however, I have gained additional insights. Christ called us all to be shepherds for the lost and the hungry. They pepper the streets of most cities. We cannot perform that task unless we learn to live and work in the light of God.

Prayer: Lord, bless us with the ability to answer your call to let your love flow through us to others. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.