devotions day 2

ALL WE LIKE SHEEP

Today’s Overview:

Day	Theme	Bible Memory	Bible Story
2	The Good Shepherd protects us!	Psalm 122:7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—He will watch over your life.	Psalm 23 David is a good shepherd and he protects his sheep just like the God protects us

Devotional insights from the author:

Safety—it is a powerful thing to feel safe. As humans we often first need feel safe before we allow ourselves to feel anything else.  Even our ability to feel love must often be prerequisite by our need to feel safe. Think of a tiny baby nestled up against her mother or father in a sweet parent child love moment.  If that parent was yelling or screaming, then the child would not be able to allow themselves the freedom of snuggle or love . That baby would most likely be pushing away at the parent and have a reaction of fear. In order for that child to feel love they must first be embraced by safety and protection.

As adults we are the same with God. We need to embrace the safety and protection of our Heavenly Father before we can allow ourselves to feel all the positive things he has for us. The Bible paints us pictures over and over of way that he is willing to provide us with the protection our humanity so very much needs.

Psalm 23:2-3 is one of these places

He lets me rest in green meadows;
    he leads me beside peaceful streams.
³     He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
    bringing honor to his name.

God wants us to feel confident in his presence and experience him as he leads us calmly through the green meadows and peaceful streams of life.  These are the moments of rest in our lives when God impart refreshment into our lives.

Obviously life is not always calm and peaceful.  There are moments of chaos, moments of sorrow, moments of darkness, and confusion. As we continue to read verse 4 of this passage our Good Shepherd addresses this as well.

Even when I walk
    through the darkest valley,^[a]
I will not be afraid,
    for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
    protect and comfort me

It isn’t the lack of hard things in life that gives us safety, but rather the person who we are walking with.  It isn’t the lack of dangerous experiences, but instead the one whom we put our trust in for protection.  

How about you?  Are you in a place of calm, when you need to embrace the Good Shepherd as your safety and experience the refreshment he has for you? Are there areas in your life that seem frightening right now that you need to give to the Good Shepherd and let him lead you through?  Are you able to allow the Good Shepherd to be your protection?

Just as a good shepherd tries to provide safety for his flock, pray and ask God for ways that you can offer safety for the children today in VBS. Be open and sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Safety for one person might not feel safe to another person. A gentle hug for one child might be what they need, but to another that might seem scary.