A rod, a staff, and some oil

 

Yesterday when we paused, I mentioned the presence of the Shepherd, and also His equipment. Let's dig into that today!

Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)

"You are with me."

So much packed into those words! We touched on some thoughts about the valley itself yesterday. Why would a good shepherd go there? If we are talking about a shepherd Who would lay down His life for the sheep, why would He lead a lamb into a valley filled with danger?

There's only one good answer here . . . 

To get to a better place!

When we are walking through an unfamiliar valley and the shadows are deep and dark; when we have cancer and we're trying to decide which of the treatments offered is the best for the body God has loaned to us; when finances are tight and we take on another job to make ends meet; when friends or family appear to have betrayed us . . . . we need to remember this: our Savior and Shepherd has appointed even this difficult time, this hard-scrabble pathway as one of His paths of righteousness. He is leading us through the valley for reasons that may not be apparent (maybe not for quite some time). But we can rest assured that He is taking us to the high summer meadows, where the sun is bright and warm, and the grass is green, fresh, and lush.

Every.

Single.

Pathway.

Every one, no matter how it seems at the time, is a pathway to something better.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
    the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
    from those whose walk is blameless. (Psalm 84:11)

The valley may not seem good. But our Shepherd is! He knows the way, and He is near. When we step into our valley, and it's so dark we can't see our hand in front of our face, He wants us to hear this: He is with us. We don't need anything else to get us through the valley. All we need is our Shepherd - and He says He will ALWAYS be with us. 

God has said,

“Never will I leave you;
    never will I forsake you.”

6 So we say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
    What can mere mortals do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5b-6)

The sheep not only have the shepherd's presence, but also his equipment to keep them safe and contented. 

"your rod and your staff, they comfort me."

The shepherd's rod was a stout club made of hard wood; it would have had a rounded head that was whittled from a knot in the tree. Sometimes the shepherds pounded bits of rock or metal into the rounded portion. It could be used to defend the sheep from attacking predators, and it could also be used to (more gently, I think) discipline wayward, stubborn sheep. We can see it both as a symbol of authority and of power. As His sheep, we believers can take comfort in the fact that God is in charge; we have no fear in adversity since we have the protection of almighty God.

because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. (I John 4:4)

While the shepherd's rod was a symbol of authority, his staff was a symbol of concern. The staff, or shepherd's crook, was long and had a crook at one end. That crook could be used to guide the sheep; just a gentle tap or just being laid along the side of the sheep's body would encourage them to move back onto the pathway, or to move inside the safety of the fold. The crook could also be used to gather up a sheep from a spot where it may have fallen. As believers, we can be content in the presence of our Shepherd, and in the guidance of His rod and staff; even though they might be uncomfortable at times, they will only be used for our benefit. We can feel comforted that our Savior is guarding our steps, lifting us back up out of the potholes of life, making sure that we make it through the darkness safely.

When we find ourselves feeling weak, feeling our way in the dark valley, we can be contented as David was that our Shepherd knows the way, and that He will never leave us -- and that He has good reasons for taking this route, even though it is hard and scary. We can hold on to the truth that there is something better waiting for us on the other side of the valley.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil; (Psalm 23:5)

Verse five gives us a picture of the confidence of believers, even in the presence of conflict and strife. In the presence of his enemies, David says, he can sit down to a feast table prepared by his Good Shepherd. Not just sit down to it......that's our way of thinking. But in ancient times, you didn't pull our your chair and sit down, and then scooch it up to the table. 

Nope.

You reclined at table. On cushions. Think about that, and then in your mind's eye, picture a menacing enemy coming through the banquet hall doorway. Kinda hard to get up from a cushion and defend oneself with a knife or sword or whatever, right?

I think this is what is meant by verse five. Our Bible is clear that our lives with Christ will not be free from conflict. Paul even called his ministry a fight! If we are standing for God and for His Word, we will have enemies and conflict. Nobody likes conflict, but the Good Shepherd takes care of His sheep by protecting them while they feast at a table - in the presence of their enemies. Even in the times of strife, we can know the abundant provision of our Lord.

The oil?
Bet y'all thought I had forgotten that!    "anointed my head with oil."

The shepherds anointed sheep with oil to help in healing their wounds; perhaps a scratch or a scrape from briers along the pathway, or a nip from another sheep. Oil also keeps the flies and bugs away. The sheep and lambs could not lie down contentedly if insects are swarming around their noses or their ears, or if open wounds are troubling them. The shepherd would take care of that by using a little oil on them. 

Application for today?

It's often the smaller irritations in our lives that work to rob us of our contentment. We need to cope with frustrating circumstances and with frustrating people! To handle both situations and people we need the qualities of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness and self-control . . . 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

In the Bible, oil is often a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Our Shepherd has gifted us with the oil of the Spirit. The Spirit can keep small irritations from "bugging" us! 

David is telling us in this familiar psalm that contentment is possible. When we walk with our Good Shepherd in the hard times, in spite of fear, conflict, and irritations, we can know confidence and contentment along the pathway.