Psalm 23: Guidance Shepherd

About six weeks ago, I was driving with a colleague to a funeral about 3 hours away.  The area where we were driving was vaguely familiar to both of us, but more familiar to my colleague.  We both agreed that we would do best to use a GPS to guide us, even though we had some general sense of the direction.

For much of the ride, we chatted along and let the GPS direct us.  I was driving, and the colleague was telling stories.  Pleasant journey.  Until we got to a crucial turn.  The GPS directed us to get on a major highway.  As I began to turn, I heard my colleague say no.  No, don’t get on the highway it doesn’t seem right.  I thought perhaps she knew a better way, a short cut.  I invited my colleague to give me different directions.  A way that was better than the GPS suggested.  She was not able to.  She said I don’t know where it is taking me.  I need to know where I am, to trust where the GPS is taking me.  As her anxiety increased, we drove around looking for something, some place, some landmark that she recognized.  The anxiety level was rising.  In the end, she reset the GPS to an address she knew.  We drove there, and then started home again.   There was so much fear in the not knowing.  So much anxiety in trusting where you cannot see.

I wonder how often we find ourselves like my colleague.  Perhaps, literally with the GPS or more broadly in life.  We want to trust, but we can really only trust if we know where we are.  We can really only trust if we know how this is going to work out.  We can really only trust if we can see what God is up to.

Today, we continue in our sermon series of Psalm 23.  The familiar psalm, prayer, song in which we, who have never been around sheep, come to know Jesus as the Good Shepherd who guides us.  Last Sunday, a group from our congregation went to Twin Pines to worship alongside the residents.  Our Memory Bells were with us leading worship as well.  I took a risk as the time came to read the scripture of the day.  I invited the gathered congregation to recite the scripture of the day with me, from memory.  Psalm 23.  Each and every one of those present joined their voice, as they were able, in the familiar words of faith.  My experiment of the people offering the word of God was beautiful.  I wish we might have recorded it, but the look on the faces of the residents was inspiring.  Psalm 23 was a part of the fabric of that gathered worship space, as it is in many other places as well.

Psalm 23 is shared language.  He leads us in paths of righteousness for his names sake.  How insightful it has been for us to listen to Judy Gambill’s reflections on shepherds and sheep dogs guiding sheep from danger.  So, often the landscape is the source of the concern, landscape that the sheep may or may not have any sight of.  When grazing, what sheep looks ahead to ascertain where the end of the cliff is?  When drinking, what sheep looks down river to see the waterfall that comes just around the bend? When applying for your first job, what person knows whether the company will play fair in workplace practices?  When helping a neighbor, who is looking out the window conjuring up a rumor?  When bringing home a newborn, who knows that a life-changing diagnosis will shape the next decades of our life?

The path ahead is not always seen and cannot always have been anticipated.  We need a shepherd and sheep dog who can see farther, know more intimately, and care deeply for how we walk the path to guide us.  It is easy for sheep to follow the path they are on and end up in a tight spot.  It is easy for us to follow one questionable decision to its difficult end and find ourselves somewhere we did not intend.

Our gospel lesson reminds us that Jesus will always go looking for us.  This prevenient grace that God goes looking for us long before we look for God.  In fact, in the passage we read today, verse 11 is often absent in your Bibles.  It is considered a later addition.  Editors determined that readers needed the further clarification that the “For the Son of man has come to save that which was lost.”  Save, lead, and care for.

The Good Shepherd leads us in paths of righteousness.  We have sometimes gotten biased by the word.  We think of those who are self-righteous, perhaps think higher of themselves than they ought. However, righteous, comes from the Hebrew word, tsaddiq (tsad-deek) meaning just or facing towards God. Righteous paths do not mean the one perfect way, but rather ways that face towards God, ways that lead us to justice.  And justice in the fullest meaning of God’s kingdom come, not just legislative acts being upheld.  The good shepherd who leads us as we follow.  The sheep know the presence of the sheep dog and the shepherd and follow where they are leading.

This is the part that gets sticky for us. For those of us who would rather drive, than depend on someone to get us where we are going.  For those of us who want to know how a plan will play out, before we sign up to be a part of something.  For those of us for whom trust is a foreign language.

Our Good Shepherd is speaking to us this morning.  Our Good Shepherd says I WILL lead you.  I will lead you on paths of righteousness.  I will lead you in ways that lead to life and life abundant.  I will not leave you or forsake you.  I know where the cliffs are coming and the craggily rocks.   I know where the water rushes instead of lies still.  I know who you are and what you need.

As you raise up young children, I will guide you.

As you seek to live with integrity at work, I will guide you.

As you want to love your neighbor, I will guide you.

As you want to care well for aging parents and family members, I will guide you.

As you feel your own body betraying you in what you used to be able to do, I will guide you.

As you want to follow the Good Shepherd, I will guide you.

Listen to my voice, pay heed to my sheep dogs, and follow me.

This is the Gospel of our Lord, Jesus Christ, thanks be to God, Amen.

Trust me and let me lead you in my paths of righteousness.

Old Testament Lesson: Psalm 23: 3

He restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name’s sake.

Gospel Lesson: Matthew 18: 10-14

‘Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven. What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.

Meditations For Your Week

Sunday, May 7 ~ Saturday, May 13

Sunday: “[God] restores my soul.” Psalm 23:3a  May this day be a day of rest and restoration.

Monday: “[The Good Shepherd] leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.”  Psalm 23:3b.  God wants to lead you.  When you feel lost and are not sure which decision to make, turn to God.  Let the Good Shepherd give you guidance.

Tuesday: “Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in  heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven.” Matthew 18: 10.  Look around today.  Where are you seeing the face of Christ?

Wednesday: “For the Son of Man came to save the lost” Matthew 18:11. In the church, we can get a bit judgey.  Sometimes, we forget God came for those who were lost.  Ask God to show you the lost today, not so you might judge, but so you, too might walk with them.

Thursday: What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?” Matthew 18:12.  God went looking for you AND goes looking for all of those lost ones.  Give thanks to God!

Friday: “And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.” Matthew 18: 13.  God’s joy is contagious.  It fills our souls and bubbles into our lives.  Ask God to show you that joy today!

Saturday:   “So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.” Matthew 18:14.  God is always seeking to redeem ALL.  Where is God  giving you a heart to work with God for ALL?

Looking Forward

We are prayerfully discerning vision for our church in future years.  We invite the whole congregation to pray specifically:

 God will give us specific hearts for our community.

God will open us to move beyond comfortable to growing in our faith.

God will rise up leaders and servants to serve those in need and lead.