Written by Fiona Monaghan A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Philip Keller was an eye opener for me. Many of us know the Psalm that starts “The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want…” and there are references made throughout the Psalm to physical things like rod, staff and oil. Mr. Keller explains how a shepherd would actually use these tools in his vocation and what it means to us.
The Rod was a weapon made from a sapling specially chosen and whittled down to suit the shepherd. The root was used and shaped to fit the shepherd hand. He would use this in a couple of ways. If a sheep was wandering off, as they are prone to do, he would throw down the rod to startle the sheep back to the group. It was used to check the condition of the fleece. Checking the skin by parting the fleece with the rod looking for sores, ticks etc. It was the ultimate protection tool used as a deterrent for predators and beating the bush for snakes etc.
Whereas the rod was protection, the Staff was considered a tool of help or compassion; not for defense, but for rescue. If a newborn lamb got separated from its mother, the shepherd would use the staff to lift it back into proximity of the mother and not put his human scent on it. If he needed to draw an animal back into the fold he could reach out and pull them closer; used to rescue a wayward animal if it got caught in thickets or brambles. Also a means of support for him to lean on and assist his walking and used for guiding sheep on a new path.
The Oil referenced was a healer. It was put on sores or scrapes to prevent infection. Flies would bother the sheep and want to lay eggs in their nose, so the shepherd would put a coating of oil mixture to prevent this. A distraught sheep having to deal with these flies would disrupt a flock so it was very important to treat them by anointing with oil.
It was no mistake that we as a people were referenced as ‘sheep’ and Jesus our Shepherd. Sheep are not the smartest of animals. They tend to follow rather than lead. They are totally defenseless in the proximity of an enemy so need a Shepherd to protect them.
How often have we needed the Oil of healing in His words at a difficult time, or the Rod of correction if we are heading off in a wrong direction or the Staff of comfort when needing to know we are not alone.
Read Psalm 23 with the meanings of these words made clearer. See how this might be useful in your own life.
We like to think we have all kinds of self control, but what happens when someone ‘pokes the bear’ or ‘pushes your buttons’? That is when we find out just how much self-control we really have.
Now we have come to the last of the nine fruit of the spirit and this one is probably the toughest one to live with or without.
The good thing about this is that we can ask for help. God does provide the power behind the doing. We just have to be willing to ask for the help.
“…Faithfulness has two different meanings. If we mean the faithfulness of God or Jesus, it refers to steadfastness, honesty, firmness, and God's utter dependability based on His unchanging character. If we mean human faithfulness, it refers to our steady allegiance to God and our trust in Him. A "faithful" man is "full of faith"; he believes in the reality of God as revealed in Scripture…” 
A couple years back, I read a fascinating book by Dr. Henry Cloud called, Changes That Heal. In it, he speaks to the notion that one cannot be a healthy person without the presence of both Truth and Grace. He states that without truth and grace being lived out on a daily basis a person cannot be emotionally healthy.
Picture a small child who has been given a kitten to hold. We tell them “be gentle” as their tendency would be to squeeze and maybe get scratched in the process. It is by extra effort that gentleness is managed.
I heard a pastor use a visual for the word ‘abide’ that has really stuck with me. He showed a little kid’s toy, this little man inside a gargantuan robot body. When the little man wasn’t inside (or abiding) in the robot he was in his own power and susceptible to all kinds of trouble and problems. But when he climbed inside the robot body, he was able to use all the power available to him in that robots power. That is what abiding in Christ looks like. We climb into Jesus and let Him ‘live out’ in us, He is also the Power behind the work.
The point I want to make to you today is your last sermon is never your last. The apostle Paul said in Philippians 1:6, “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Thursday, I visited Elling Halvorson for the last time in the hospital. We had our last devotion. But it wasn’t our last because he’s out of the hospital looking better than I have ever seen him. His mind was sharp as he held a business meeting at the hospital with many of the leaders of Boeing. As we prayed together with his amazing daughter Brenda, who is the president of Papillion Air lines, we knew that God has the best yet to come ahead of him. Here is my point.
