{"id":522,"date":"2015-03-09T18:40:46","date_gmt":"2015-03-09T18:40:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/parkwood.dreamhosters.com\/blog\/?p=522"},"modified":"2015-03-13T20:26:49","modified_gmt":"2015-03-13T20:26:49","slug":"the-lord-is-my-shepherd-21","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/parkwood.dreamhosters.com\/blog\/the-lord-is-my-shepherd-21\/","title":{"rendered":"The Lord is my Shepherd (21)"},"content":{"rendered":"

“…your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”<\/em><\/p>\n

The Good Shepherd uses a rod and a staff. \u00a0The staff can be used for discipline and direction like the rod, but the staff has some characteristics that can shed more light on our Shepherd.<\/p>\n

One way to look at the staff is that it connects the shepherd with the sheep. \u00a0 It is used by the shepherd for leaning on while watching the flock. \u00a0This communicates several things to the sheep. \u00a0First, when a shepherd or anyone leans on their staff it means they are staying. \u00a0It communicates to the sheep that he is there for the duration. \u00a0this is his home. \u00a0He is making himself comfortable. \u00a0It is just another way of showing the sheep and anyone who sees…He is our Shepherd. \u00a0 Many times in the Scriptures we are told that God does great things that people may know that He is God and…specifically…He is our God…Our good Shepherd.<\/p>\n

Second, when a shepherd leans on his staff he is letting the sheep know that he is comfortable and everything is ok. \u00a0 If my shepherd is comfortable then I am comfortable. \u00a0 It may be easier to understand from the opposite viewpoint. \u00a0If my shepherd is anxious then i am anxious. \u00a0 Animals can sense when their masters are alarmed about something. \u00a0 Those who have pets experience this in our homes. \u00a0 If we are pacing about the house or visibly upset about something, our pets will respond with anxiety. \u00a0 If the Shepherd is leaning on the staff He is comfortable and at ease. \u00a0 Therefore, we (the sheep) can also relax because the Master is at ease.<\/p>\n

The staff is also used by the Shepherd to protect the sheep when the dangers do come. \u00a0 The rod was used to correct the sheep but the staff was used as a weapon of defense against wolves or other preditors. \u00a0 We can take comfort in the fact that our shepherd is not only “willing” to protect us, but fully “equipped” to do it. \u00a0 We are far too familiar with those who make promises that they cannot keep or are incapable of keeping. \u00a0 We have the assurance that our Good Shepherd is always victorious in defending us. \u00a0 David in another Psalm says,<\/p>\n

“In God I trust and am not afraid. \u00a0What can man do to me?” (Psalm 56:11)<\/p>\n

Oh, dearest sheep, our Good Shepherd leans on His staff because He is comfortable watching over you. \u00a0 Things are well and you can be comforted. \u00a0 And…if by chance trouble arises…be not afraid…He can take care of it.<\/p>\n

Allow God’s rod and staff to comfort you today!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“…your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” The Good Shepherd uses a rod and a staff. \u00a0The staff can be used for discipline and direction like the rod, but the staff has some characteristics that can shed more light … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-522","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-lenten_blog_2015","category-all_posts"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/parkwood.dreamhosters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/522","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/parkwood.dreamhosters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/parkwood.dreamhosters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/parkwood.dreamhosters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/parkwood.dreamhosters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=522"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/parkwood.dreamhosters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/522\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":558,"href":"http:\/\/parkwood.dreamhosters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/522\/revisions\/558"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/parkwood.dreamhosters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=522"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/parkwood.dreamhosters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=522"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/parkwood.dreamhosters.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=522"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}