Powerful Promises for Every Woman

No words ever written have carried the weight or the comfort that these five do — The LORD is my shepherd. Youngsters and oldsters alike are soothed and assured by the thought and the promise of God as a personal shepherd to care for them throughout the challenges of life's journey.

I know because I've seen it myself. When my husband pastored the senior saints at our church, time after time he was asked to read Psalm 23 as someone lay dying and, later, at their memorial service. My own father, up to the time he died at age 96, loved Psalm 23. And then, when Jim and I arrived at my dad's funeral, a tiny bulletin was placed in our hands.and there it was-every word and verse (and promise!) of Psalm 23. Yes, the saint on the deathbed finds solace in the promises of Psalm 23.

And yet the saints alive love it too. At the time I taught this remarkable psalm at the women's Bible study at our church, the hearts of those who listened were touched once again by the thought of the Lord as their own caring shepherd. What kind of women were in our group?

There were women who were being denied the joys of motherhood, whose halls at home were empty for unknown reasons. Women whose nests were filled to overflowing, who were in the throes of the daily busyness of packed, fast-track home life. Women with teens needing so much guidance and yet spurning it. Women whose young adult children were making not-so-wise choices. Women challenged to raise their children alone. Women whose homes were full of grandchildren they were raising. Women facing cancer tests and under-going surgery and chemotherapy. Women with life-threatening diseases and physical limitations. Women whose husbands were laid off from their jobs. Women who suffered in unhappy marriages, even divorce. Women (like me) who were nursing and losing their parents. Women who were tasting empty nests and bereavement, who were living alone. From every walk and season of life, these were women who loved and needed (oh, so desperately!) the loving care of their Shepherd.

Yes, young and old, well and dying, male and female- all love the Twenty-third Psalm, the Shepherd Psalm!

The Shepherd. . . have you ever wondered how the thought of God as a shepherd originated? In Hebrew, the five English words- the Lord is my shepherd-come from two words, Jehovah-Rohi. These words translate to "the-LORD-is-my-shepherd."

And what can we learn about our Shepherd, the Lord God, and His promised care from the Bible?

Jehovah-Rohi Feeds Us

One major meaning of the word shepherd is "to feed," and here are just a few of its uses:

• The Bible narrative of Joseph opens with him "feeding the flock with his brothers" (Genesis 37:2).
• Later, in Egypt, when Pharaoh asked Joseph's brothers about their occupation, they answered, "Your servants are shepherds.[and we] have no pasture for [our] flocks" (Genesis 47:3-4).
• Still another glimpse of rohi is found when we read that David, the author of Psalm 23, 8 "returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep" (1 Samuel 17:15).
• And finally, in the Shepherd Psalm, we read David's inspired words, "The LORD [Jehovah] is my shepherd."

Reflecting on God's Promises

Dear one, as one of Jehovah-Rohi's sheep, you have the promise of God to feed you! You and I, as creatures who need physical and spiritual food, enjoy both from the hand of the Shepherd. He cares for us throughout life and brings us to places of pasture. Through circumstances and events, He insures that we are brought to the place where we will feed-and feed on His best.

I'm not a shepherd, but I did work at The Brandeis Institute located in the rolling hills of Simi Valley, California. These lush hills were on the trail of many sheepherders. There at The Institute, the bell at the entrance gate would frequently ring in the spring, as yet another shepherd asked permission to graze his sheep on the property owned by The Institute. A caring and responsible shepherd had led his flock there to feast on the grassy slopes.

This kind of care is the role of a good shepherd-and a role completely fulfilled for us by the Good Shepherd.

And here's another tender fact about a good shepherd-when there are no pastures, he [himself] gathers the food needed for his flock by using his crook to pull down leaves and berries from the trees. Then he feeds his sheep directly and intimately right out of his own hand!

Why should we worry, dear friend? Why should we worry about food and clothing? About finances and money? About security and the needs of life? We have Jehovah-Rohi! We have the Lord as our caring shepherd! When fears regarding the cares of this world set in, we must remember God's promise to care for us. And then we must do as David, the writer of the Shepherd Psalm (and a shepherd himself!), did and declare, "Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You" (Psalm 56:3)!

Jehovah-Rohi Leads Us

Another way "shepherd" is used in the Bible is in a figurative sense to signify the leadership role of a prince with his people.

• To David the Israelites said: ".you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in; and the LORD said to you, 'You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over Israel'" (2 Samuel 5:2).
• Even of Cyrus, the heathen king of Persia, God said: "He is My shepherd and shall perform all My pleasure" (Isaiah 44:28).
• God promised His people, "I will give you shepherds [princes, priests, and prophets] according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding" (Jeremiah 3:15).

Reflecting on God's Promises

What a glorious thought-to know we are led! Indeed, our Shepherd is a gentle, patient, and firm guide. And, because of His character, we don't need to know the path, the plan, or the future. We only need to know Jehovah-Rohi, the God who promises to care for us and to lead us.

I know as a wife how important my husband's leadership is and the security that following him brings to my anxious heart. When I'm headed toward the falling-apart stage, Jim will simply put his arms around me and say, "Everything will be all right." He doesn't tell me how everything will be all right, when everything will be all right, who is going to make everything all right, or what is going to happen to make everything all right. He just assures me that everything will be all right. And somehow I am comforted just because my earthly leader, my husband, tells me so.

And, my friend, it's the same with Jehovah-Rohi. He is our Shepherd, our heavenly leader. Therefore we need no details. We need only to follow, knowing everything will be all right!

The Lord is leading-there's no doubt about that. But you and I must ask ourselves, "What kind of follower am I?" Or perhaps, "Which of these three kinds of sheep am I?"

These are the sheep that jump into other fields, or climb into bushes and leaning trees. And these are the sheep that sometimes fall and break their legs. These nervous and dissatisfied sheep cause the Good Shepherd endless trouble.

Would you describe yourself as one who is settled, at home with and abiding in the Shepherd? Are you one who trusts.and therefore rests.in the Lord? Is the Lord all that you need? Are you content to be nothing more than His sheep and one who delights in what He has to give you?

Many sheep are mere worldlings, intent on their own pleasures and selfish interests-pleasures and interests that have nothing to do with the Shepherd! They run from bush to bush, searching for variety and sampling every kind of food. Only now and then do they lift their heads to see where the Shepherd is-just to be sure they don't wander too far away!

These worldlings choose to live their lives near to the world instead of near to the Shepherd. Dabbling in sin and pleasure, they nibble on what is meaningless and even harmful. They partake of the world's ways as they stray farther and farther from the Good Shepherd. Oh, yes, there's the occasional church service.then back into the world they go, lowering their heads (and their standards and their lives!) to graze again on empty, useless fare!

How can we as God's sheep ensure a closer walk with Him so that we are less likely to lose close contact with the Shepherd? As the exquisite old hymn moans, "Prone to wander-Lord, I feel it-prone to leave the God I love."1 What can we do to stay near to the heart of God?

Answer-As we live in a world saturated by an ungodly culture, we can draw nearer to God by heeding these time-honored, oft-proven, surefire practices:

• Follow the Shepherd. Determine to obey God's Word (John 10:27).
• Talk to the Shepherd. Pray always (Psalm 116:1-2).
• Listen to the Shepherd. Saturate your soul with God's Word (John 10:2-5).
• "Chew" on the Shepherd's food. Memorize and meditate on His Word (Psalm 1:1-2).

Blessed is the sheep who always keeps near the Shepherd! Each sheep in a flock has a name, and the devoted followers answer joyfully whenever the Shepherd calls. By prolonged and continued fellowship, the sheep who follow nearby enjoy the Shepherd's presence and become His familiar companions. To those closest to Him, He shares the choicest portions of food which He's gathered.

These happy and content sheep are never in danger. Why? Because they are near the Shepherd! They will not get lost, fall into mischief, or suffer harm from wild beasts or thieves. Why? Once again, because of their nearness to the Shepherd.

And you, dear one? Are you a sheep who stays near the Shepherd? Do you delight in His company? Are you one who knows "I am His and He is mine"? If you are, then you will be shown the path of life. You will know fullness of joy in His presence. And you will experience untold pleasures at His right hand forevermore (Psalm 16:11)!

Yet another figurative use of rohi is in regard to folly and judgment. The Scriptures teach us:

• "The mouth of fools feeds on foolishness" (Proverbs 15:14);
• The idolater "feeds on ashes" (Isaiah 44:20); and
• God will "feed" false shepherds "in judgment" (Ezekiel 34:16).

In short, we are warned not to consume, partake of, or be involved in activities that would not exalt God.

Beloved, as you and I follow close to God and delight in Him (rather than in foolishness and ashes!) we are safe from God's judgment and the results of such dangerous nibbling. You see, with Him there is true substance, real meaning.

Let me tell you a story-a true story. My wonderful daughter Courtney moved with her husband, Paul, to Kauai, Hawaii, immediately after their honeymoon. Known as "the garden isle," Kauai is sparsely populated and quite removed from world traffic. Almost everything is imported-which meant that Courtney, an avid reader, had little choice of books to read (and even less money as a newlywed living in one of the most expensive regions of the United States).

When Jim and I went to visit Courtney and Paul in their home there in Kapaa on Kauai, I was surprised to discover that she was reading through all the many books written by Louis L'Amour. In case you don't know about Louis L'Amour, he's the foremost writer of western fiction. His books are good, factual, well written, and clean (all reasons why Courtney had chosen them to read). And, as Courtney explained, they were all available in the public library.

Later, when I returned to the mainland, I voiced my concerns to a mature friend. While there's nothing wrong with Louis L'Amour's tales of the Wild West per se, I was concerned that they had become her mainstay. Louis L'Amour's stories were not why Jim and I had sacrificed to put our girls through Christian schools from pre-school through grade twelve, followed by five years each at a Christian college.

Louis L'Amour's sagas were not why we had made sure our girls were actively involved in a strong church, youth groups, and Bible studies, not why we had made sure we started each and every day of their lives at home with time in God's Word and prayer. Well, I want to pass on to you some wisdom my wiser and more seasoned friend gave me. She simply asked, "Liz, what are you doing to remedy the situation?"

You can be sure when Jim got home that evening, I shared her probing question with him. What were we doing to remedy the situation? Nothing!

"What could we do?" became our passionate prayer concern.

Soon these "concerns" led us to call Courtney and offer her our credit card number and the gift of $25 each month for books to be chosen from a Christian book catalog. (Oh, yes-Paul was to select $25 worth of books for himself, too!) Just because there were no Christian libraries on Kauai, and just because there were few Christian books in the public libraries, didn't mean that we couldn't help put edifying Christian works into their home and hands and hearts!

And so Courtney began to "feed" on something of substance.

Soon a letter arrived from Courtney telling me that her first selection was a three-pack of biographies on the lives of Fanny Crosby, Dorothy Carey, and Susanna Wesley.

Next a call came saying, "Oh, Mom, I can't wait to discuss Dorothy Carey's life with you!"

Then another note-"Mom, this seemed like something you could share with your ladies when you teach." It was an excerpt from a letter written by Susanna Wesley to her famous son, John, the founder of Methodism:

I will tell you what rule I observed. when I was young, and too much addicted to childish diversions, which was this-Never to spend more time in mere recreation in one day than I spend in private religious devotions.

Quickly I prayed, "Oh, thank You, Lord! Now this is more like it! And thank You, too, Lord, for Courtney's encouraging message to me from this wonderful book about a woman who loved You too!"

(And, by the way, reading the inspiring story of Fanny Crosby's life next led Courtney to order several volumes on the great hymns of the Christian faith and how they came to be written.)

My friend, is there a situation you need to "remedy"? Are you feeding on foolishness or rooting through ashes or merely sniffing the wind? God- Jehovah-Rohi- tells us to beware of the inevitable stumbling and falling that is sure to result! At the same time, He invites us into the safety and shelter of His promised care, the care of Jehovah-Rohi, the One who promises to feed and to lead us.

Do you want to be safe from the influence, ways, and lusts of the world and the flesh (1 John 2:16)? From the sin which so easily entangles us (Hebrews 12:1)? Then, dear one, delight yourself in the Lord, in His provision, in His Word. Faithfully feed on the things which possess true substance and real meaning. When we remember that "all Scripture is given by inspiration by God and is profitable" (2 Timothy 3:16) and partake of such divine substance, then we are fed, we are led. and we are safe!

Just imagine! As one of God's precious sheep you are cherished and cared for by the Shepherd! By penning these two Hebrew words- Jehovah-Rohi- which translates the-LORD-is-my-shepherd, David's imagery lifts our thoughts to the highest and tenderest aspect of God's nature. No other name of God carries with it the intimacy and tender friendship of Jehovah-Rohi. Yes, you and I are cared for and cherished-so much so that God promises to lead us and feed us. Think of it! To be the friend of God! The Lord is your Shepherd, precious one, and He will take care of you. It's a promise!