My Shepherd, My Host

The LORD is my shepherd;

I have all that I need. Psalm 23:1

DAVID WAS A SHEPHERD. But he also knew he was a sheep in the care of the Great Shepherd. His prayer expressing recognition of the joys of being in the care of such a good shepherd inspires us to pray the same way.

Lord, you are not just my shepherd. You are ________’s shepherd. And you are a good shepherd, not a careless, unkind, or incompetent one. Because ________ has you as his shepherd, he has everything he needs.

As a shepherd, you are leading him into your abundance and beauty and rest. You are renewing his strength when it is gone by feeding him with your Word. You are guiding him toward a life of right living so you will be glorified in his life.

Because you are ________’s shepherd, I can be sure that even when ________ is in very dark places, even when he faces great danger, he does not need to be afraid and neither do I. You are right there beside him, so he is never alone. I can’t always be with him, but you are always with him.

As a good shepherd, you use your rod to discipline and protect him and your staff to take hold of ________ and draw him to yourself.

Not only are you a good shepherd; you are a good host. You have not only taken ________ into the safety of your fold; you have welcomed him into the abundance of your home. You are feeding him with the broken body and blood of Christ, a salvation feast, even as he is surrounded by enemies who make false promises of satisfaction. You are filling his being with your Spirit and flooding his life with undeserved favor and blessing.

While there are many things I can’t be sure of as I look into the future, one thing I can be sure of is that your grace and goodness will be chasing after ________ all the days of his life. Even after my days on this earth come to an end, ________ has a shepherd to guide and provide for him, and a host who has made a home for him where he can live forever.