Identity And Your Family Tree

What are you afraid of?

The dark? Heights? The dentist?

Admit it or not, deep down, we’re all afraid of something. According to The American Psychiatric Association, there are over 500 known phobias and yes, ‘dentophobia,’ or fear of the dentist, is on the list.

While you might not be afraid of getting your teeth cleaned, there’s something causes your heart to experience fear. Whatever it is, the next time you start to feel afraid, think about the 23rd Psalm.

Wait…what?

(I know this sounds like a strange way to deal with fear but bear with me….)

Even if you’re not a Bible reader, you’re probably somewhat familiar with the beautiful imagery of Psalm 23:

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing…Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me.” Psalm 23:1,4

I don’t know much about sheep, but I know that just like us, they are easily frightened.
But do you know the one thing that calms the sheep’s fears?

The presence of the shepherd.

The sheep know they have nothing to fear when the shepherd is nearby. He leads them, provides for their needs, and protects them from danger. The mere presence of the shepherd has a calming effect on the flock. Here’s a simple way to think about it from the sheep’s perspective:

Near the shepherd=Less fear, more peace

Far from the shepherd=More fear, less peace

David, the author of this amazing psalm, could truly say, “The Lord is my Shepherd,” and this gave him peace despite walking through one of the “darkest valleys of his life.” Though he had every reason to be afraid, David’s fear did not overwhelm him. He knew God was with Him and would carry him through the valley.

This same peace is available to you and me.

The problem is, just like sheep, we naturally wander away from God and try to do life on our own terms And sure, living without a Shepherd might work for a little while, but eventually, it will catch up to us…like when we go through our own “dark valleys.”

We were made to live in a relationship with our Shepherd, not just in dark valleys, but every day of our lives. You see, Jesus is the “Good Shepherd who laid down His life for His sheep” (John 10:11) and He wants to lead and guide us along life’s path.
Letting Jesus be our Shepherd means we place our life in His hands, follow Him in obedience, and rely on Him for our every need.

So, it’s time for an honest evaluation.
Ask yourself:

Is Jesus my Shepherd and am I staying near Him?
or
Have I wandered far away from Him?

The choice we make is significant.
When we choose to follow Jesus, we discover something sheep have known all along.

The presence of our Shepherd really does weaken the power of fear.

Interested in learning more in what it means to follow Jesus as your Shepherd? Send us an email.