King David wrote Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack.” It’s one I have to slow down to think about, to not take its meaning forgranted. It’s been a recurring theme in my life – the Lord reminding me that He’s my good shepherd and I am His lamb.
This Fall it came to the surface again. I learned two new things related to the protective instincts of a shepherd that struck my heart deeply:
- King David grew up as a shepherd, and in 1 Samuel 17:32-40, he describes the battles of life as a shepherd: “Whenever a lion or bear came to carry off a sheep from the flock, I would chase after it, attack it, and snatch the prey from its mouth. If it attacked me, I would seize it by the throat, strike it, and kill it.” He then later called the Lord his shepherd.
- When an owner would hire a new shepherd, they would look for someone with a lot of scars. They wanted to find someone who would fight off enemies of the sheep to protect them.
This draws me to the conclusion that David knew that the Lord protects His children fiercely. It’s tricky trying to understand or see how the Lord protected in the past and continues to protect in the present. How could we ever see all the movements of God? St. Therese of Lisieux gives this example*:
“Suppose the son of a skillful doctor falls over a stone lying in his path and breaks a limb. His father hurries to help him and dresses his wound so skillfully that it heals completely. Naturally, he is quite right to love such a father and will be most grateful to him.
But supposing again this doctor saw the dangerous stone, anticipated that his son would fall over it and moved it out of the way when no one was looking; then his son would know nothing of the danger from which his father’s loving care had saved him and so would have no reason to show gratitude…I have often heard it said in retreats and elsewhere that an innocent soul never loves God as much as a repentant one, and how I long to prove that that is not true.”
After considering David’s experience of the ferocity of the shepherd taking care of his sheep, and St. Therese’s example of being saved from dangers of which we didn’t realize existed – it make me think that God is never at rest and is vigilant to protect me from evil. If something bad happens, it is not that God stopped protecting me. He permitted it to happen, but He will not leave me alone, and He can work all things for good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28).
Jesus, I know you are my shepherd, and I see your battle scars, the wounds from your crucifixion. You help me to not live in fear. It’s impossible to understand how many dangerous stones you’ve protected me from and the quantity of pain you allowed to pass me by. So, like St. Therese, I want to show great humility and gratitude for your many graces and kindnesses to protect me and love me all my life. Thank you for taking care of me and all God’s children, your little flock. Amen.
- The Story of a Soul: The Autobiography of the Little Flower, by St. Therese of Lisieux. Pg. 47.
My Heart, My Home 