Your Shepherd, Not Your Cattle Driver: A Reflection on Psalm 23
When I first became a Christian at the age of 20, I was part of a revival that swept through university campuses in the late 70's to the mid 80's. A number of parachurch campus ministries grew in dramatic fashion as young people were coming to faith, being baptized, and responding to God's call to reach the world for Christ.
The language of destiny and revival was a part of everything that we did. The experience was intoxicating.
But the excitement of that vibrant ministry added an emphasis on busyness in an unhealthy way. We were taught that Jesus was coming soon and that meant that we had to keep working because the days were evil. We did not want to waste a moment. The teaching itself is true, but the vision for mission without understanding the nature of God created a performance-based lifestyle that became toxic.
The results of that lifestyle were damaging. I rarely took vacations. The workload of my weekdays caused the days that I did take off to be more recuperative than restorative. My family suffered from having someone who had little margin for them and was exhausted all of the time.
I had lost sight that God cared for me as much as the world I was trying to reach.
Then I came across Psalm 23, which depicts the Lord as a good shepherd caring for the flock.
What struck me about this passage is that there were two major livestock groups in Israel in those days - sheep and cattle.
I realized that as I continued to push forward to get things done, my view of God had shifted toward a cattle driver than a shepherd. If I honestly looked at my lifestyle through the lens of Psalm 23, it would read like this:
1 The Lord is my cattle driver, I lack what I need.
2 He keeps moving me into scorched pastures,
he rushes me past turbulent waters,
3 I am tired and feel behind in everything.
He drives me along paths that I'm not sure about
for His work needs to get done.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I am terrified,
for I am not sure that you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
continue to prod my insecurities.
5 You prepare anxieties before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You fill my head with burdens;
my cup seems always empty.
6 Surely your judgments and criticisms will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will feel outside looking into the house of the Lord
until I get to heaven.
I experienced this frantic, exhausted lifestyle as a Christian leader and a pastor, and now that I work with leaders and pastors from around the world, I see this same pattern.
Yet Psalm 23 can provide us with a way through our tendency toward busyness and fatigue. If you feel similar to the false version of the psalm above, I encourage you to take a look at the real psalm for a time of reflection and prayer. Take your time as you read this. Don't rush through it. Allow time to ponder the questions before you move to the next verse.
Psalm 23:1
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
(What areas of your life do you feel lack? Bring those to the Lord.)
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
(Think of the ministry areas in your life that are not green or quiet. What would the path back to peace in ministry look like?)
3 he refreshes my soul.
(Think of the areas of your soul where you are tired. What can you do to experience the refreshing promised here?)
He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
(Are you anxious about being on the right path? God is able to guide us better than we are able to follow. Take a moment to reaffirm your trust in His guidance.)
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
(Do you feel that God is with you or do you feel abandoned and alone? How can you reset your heart to know that He is Emmanuel—God with us?)
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
(Do you see God's correction as comfort or judgment? Where do you need to adjust your perception of God’s correction?)
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
(How are you carrying the load of opposition? Are you able to sit and enjoy a meal even when faced with opposition? How can you lean toward this promise?)
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
(Do you sense God's favor in your life? If not, what do you need to do to believe the good news of the gospel that Jesus took our punishment on our behalf and invites us into his favor?
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
(Do you sense God's goodness and love every day? If not, what do you sense?)
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
(Do you see yourself as accepted by our loving Lord or on the outside looking in? What needs to change for you to experience God's acceptance?)
I hope that this time of reflective prayer from Psalm 23 has helped you journey toward following Jesus more closely as your shepherd. The world desperately needs leaders who are not constantly exhausted because they are working for God; they need leaders who are refreshed because they are walking with God at His pace and in His time. The mission of God doesn’t override the narrative that He cares for us and wants to renew us in the rhythms of life. God is not in a hurry, and we don't need to be either.
About the Author
David Whitehead is Senior Director of Global Coaching for Redeemer City to City. David has been in ministry for over 40 years and brings a diversity of experience to the CTC world. He has coached a wide diversity of Christian leaders around the world and has been establishing coaching networks globally to serve key cities.
David and his wife, Kathleen, have two adult daughters and live in Franklin, TN.