The God Who Cares for Our Needs

Last week, Pastor Gene began this series for May called “The God Who Cares.” He preached a powerful sermon about repentance that leads to confession for that we titled “The God Who Cares for Our Souls.” And God does care for your soul. If He didn’t care, Jesus would not have had to come and die to purchase our pardon. Today, as we continue this series, we are going to contemplate how The God Who Cares, Cares for Our Needs. Turn in, or turn on, your Bible to the 23rd Psalm, . And as you’re turning. take a trip back in time with me.

Imagine an old king. His hair and beard are gray. His skin scarred from the wounds he encountered in battle. His joints are creaky and there is pain in every step he takes. He is pacing on the top of his palace and looking out over the capital city. As he contemplates his many victories and the wealth stored beneath him in the treasury. He wonders aloud, “How did I get here?” And then, suddenly, his mind is flooded with images from his youth. Sheep in a field. Lions and bears falling from the stone he hurled with his sling. He recalls the days when he was a simple shepherd boy. Then, he can almost hear a voice that says, “You shall be shepherd of my people Israel.” And he begins to imagine how very similar being king is to being a shepherd. And the thoughts begin to flood his mind. He rushes down to the royal chamber, calling for a scribe on the way, and he writes one of the most beloved Psalms in the Bible. Will you please stand in honor of reading God’s Word?

Psalm 23 ESV

A Psalm of David. 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want

That old king I described is, of course, David. We are told that women used to sing songs about David. “Saul has killed his thousands, but David has killed his ten thousands!” This is the same David who refused to wear the king’s armor as he rushed into battle with a sling and 5 stones. The giant, Goliath, fell from just one of those stones and David used Goliath’s own sword to finish the kill. This David would play a harp to calm angry King Saul. This David ran when Saul decided to kill him. This David hid out among the enemies of Israel. He conquered many so that Israel could have peace. We are told that this David was a man after God’s own heart. If anyone in the history of mankind had the right to say he had earned his position as king, it was David. But, in stark contrast, the first thought the king has about his position is “The LORD is my shepherd.” LORD is Yahweh, the covenant name of God. He is the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. The God who rescued His people from Egyptian slavery. It is that God that David says is his shepherd. The one who looks out for all the needs of the sheep.

Before we move on, let’s just talk for a moment about sheep. They are extremely near-sighted, somewhat clumsy, and smell bad. Sheep can’t see well enough to stay out of harm’s way. That is why they need a shepherd. If a sheep gets on it’s back, it cannot get turned back over. Which sounds funny, except a sheep on its back will die if not turned over quickly. Did I mention they were clumsy? And, if you have never been around sheep, you can take my word for it. Sheep stink. Not like other livestock. Not even hogs. Sheep just stink. Why would I tell you that? By calling the LORD his shepherd, David is identifying himself like a sheep. And just in case you get a little cocky about that, let remind you of

Isaiah 53:6 ESV

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

We are all sheep. We all need a shepherd. So when King David says “The LORD is my shepherd,” our ears should perk up. If he not only thinks he needs a shepherd, but that the LORD is that shepherd, we should pay attention. What does David mean? In what ways is the LORD David’s shepherd? I’m glad you asked, because David answers.

What does a sheep need? Protection, food, regular shearing, and rest. David says because the LORD is his shepherd, he will not want these things. And this is kind of the outline for the rest of the Psalm. But before we dig into the details of the ways we shall not want with the LORD as our shepherd, let me remind you what Jesus said about our needs.

What does a sheep need? Protection, food, regular shearing, and rest. David says because the LORD is his shepherd, he will not want these things. And this is kind of the outline for the rest of the Psalm. But before we dig into the details of the ways we shall not want with the LORD as our shepherd, let me remind you what Jesus said about our needs.

Matthew 7:7–11 ESV

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Matthew 6:25–33 ESV

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Matt 7:7-

Matthew 7:7–11 ESV

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Matt 7:But let’s not get carried away and forget the warning of

Matt 6:But let’s not get carried away and forget the warning of

But let’s not get carried away and forget the warning of

But let’s not get carried away and forget the warning of

James 4:1–3 ESV

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

James 4:1-3

My point is simply this: God absolutely will give us what we need. But let’s not get carried away to think that God will spoil us with material goods. He won’t. That would be fulfilling our own selfish desires. And James tells us clearly tells us that we will not receive from God those things that will fulfill our own selfish desires. Jesus is not the next great investment scheme. He is not a path to get rich quick. And He most certainly is not interested in your material prosperity. I don’t care what the TV preachers say, God does not promise to make you wealthy or healthy. He promises to be with you. To guide you. To comfort you through difficult times. Or, to return to the passage for today, He will be your shepherd and you will not want. He will provide for your needs. He will provide what is best for you, whether you think it is best or not.

The shepherd restores us.

W. Phillip Keller, born in East Africa, always loved wildlife and the outdoors. Having spent many years in agriculture research, land management, and ranch development in British Columbia, he later pursued careers in conservation, wildlife photography, and journalism. His experiences as a shepherd equipped him with the insights that are the basis for A Shepherd Looks at . And in that book, he says,

“It is almost impossible for [sheep] to be made to lie down unless four requirements are met. Owing to their timidity they refuse to lie down unless they are free of all fear. Because of the social behavior within a flock sheep will not lie down unless they are free from friction with others of their kind. If tormented by flies or parasites, sheep will not lie down. Only when free from these pests can they relax. Lastly, sheep will not lie down as long as they feel in need of finding food. They must be free from hunger.”

Fear, friction, flies, and famine. All of these will keep a sheep from lying down. All of these will keep the sheep from resting. The shepherd knows this and provides all that the sheep need so they CAN lie down in green pastures and rest. And, you know, sometimes the same can be said of churches. I can’t count the number of times I have heard how busy everyone is. We over-schedule our lives, and rest is unknown. Then we come to rest in worship with our church family, but fear, friction, flies, or famine all rise up and keep us from resting. Listen, the LORD is our shepherd! He can help you be free of fear or friction or flies or famine. Trust your shepherd and listen as He calls you to lie down in His lush green pastures. A sheep will lie down in a green pasture when the shepherd has taken care of the fear, the flies, and the friction. Famine is not an issue in a green pasture.

And that is what our loving shepherd does from us. He removes the fear, the flies, the friction and the famine. He leads us to a place where we can rest, if we fully trust him. And when we rest in him, we will find ourselves restored. Not a fleeting moment of breath-catching, but restored in our souls. Friend, do you feel weary, beaten down, tired, unable to rest this morning? Trust that your shepherd is taking care of you and rest in him. And there you will rest. There will your soul be restored. Our Shepherd cares for our needs so we can be restored.

The shepherd relates with us.

ps 23:

Psalm 23:3b–4 ESV

He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Here is possibly the hardest thing to grasp from this Psalm. The LORD our Shepherd is leading us in paths of righteousness. In other words, He uses all of our experiences to bring about righteousness in our lives.

Romans 8:28–29 ESV

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

And that sounds like a good thing until we get to verse 4. Even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we are to fear no evil. Why? Because our Shepherd is with us. He is guiding us with the staff and correcting us with the rod. From his presence with us to his guidance to his correction, we should be comforted. If He didn’t care about us, He wouldn’t need to guide, direct, or correct. He is with us even in the darkest times. David does not say that dark times don’t come, but that his Shepherd will be with him through the dark times. And He is not just with us, He knows how we feel about the valley. After all

Hebrews 4:15 ESV

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Our Shepherd KNOWS our struggles. He can sympathize with our weakness. He has been not only through the valley of the shadow of death, but through death itself. He gets it. He can relate to you right where you are. No matter how dark your valley feels right now, your shepherd knows and is right by you. You don’t need to fear. Your shepherd relates.

The shepherd resides with us.

The shepherd resides with us.

Actually, the shepherd invites us to reside with him!

Psalm 23:5–6 ESV

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 forever.

When we reside with Him He provides:

Food - prepare a table before me

Safety - in the presence of my enemies

Grace - you anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows

Mercy - Surely goodness and MERCY will follow me all the days of my life

Eternity - And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever

It is no coincidence that David ends the Psalm in the house of the LORD who is the shepherd in verse 1. Do you see? The shepherd who cares for you has taken care of everything. And He hasn’t done so for just a moment in time, but for all eternity. What a tremendous encouragement that our shepherd cares for our needs!

Yet, I feel I must give a warning to some of you here today.

The shepherd cares for the needs of HIS flock. Jesus said

If you are not part of His flock, you should not count on His provision. You probably won’t be able to rest in His care. You won’t feel restored. You won’t feel like He relates to you, and you won’t reside with Him forever. What do I mean by that? Simply this, if Jesus is not LORD of all, He is not LORD at all. And if He is not LORD of your all, He cannot be your shepherd. By LORD, I mean the one who is in charge, the ruler over your life, the sovereign master of the entire universe.

John 10:14 ESV

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,

Do you know the good Shepherd? If you are not part of His flock, you should not count on His provision. You probably won’t be able to rest in His care. You won’t feel restored. You won’t feel like He relates to you, and you won’t reside with Him forever. What do I mean by that? Simply this, if Jesus is not LORD of all, He is not LORD at all. And if He is not LORD of your all, He cannot be your shepherd. By LORD, I mean the one who is in charge, the ruler over your life, the sovereign master of the entire universe.

If you don’t know Him, it is our prayer that today would be the day you placed yourself in the care of the Good Shepherd. If you do know Him, it has been my prayer that you would know the care of the Good Shepherd in a new way. That you would know that the shepherd will restore you, relate to you, and reside with you. Rest in His care!

Takeaway: We need to rest in the care of our Shepherd.

Let’s PRAY