The Vineyard
Dear Friends,
I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Psalm 121
We would all like to live knowing that He protects us, shades us, watches over us—but what is required for us to enjoy this peace of mind? According to this Psalm, that we are looking to Him, not our own wits, resources, friends our possessions for our security to as the source of our needs. These words, Psalm 121, were uttered by one who constantly looked to God as His “all in all” and “Jehovah Jireh”.
This is what he desires from me—a surrender, yes, but also a child-like dependence upon Him—-me placing my hand in His and trusting Him to lead me to green pastures, quiet, still waters and an abundant life—one I could never imagine or attain on my own. Truly, this is what He WANTS to give me—-and you.
So, do I want this? To I really desire that He direct my paths—-or do I prefer my own wandering excursions? Do I want Him to protect me from harm by keeping my eyes, feet, and mind from taking me to places that are dangerous, or do I merely want Him to rescue me once I’ve had “my fun”? We all want a super-hero to get out of a bad situation, but I am following the Good Shepherd there are certain things, places and people that He would never lead me to in the first place.
I’ve learned that you can’t have it both ways. He can be my shepherd and lead me, but He can’t be that good shepherd if I keep jumping over the fence and looking for greener grass. Either He is my shepherd or He is not. The Psalmist was a sheep of His (Jesus) pasture—and I want to be and remain a part of the same flock.
Dean Barley
The Vineyard
Dean@VineyardCamp.com
336 351 2070
919 360 8493 (Mobile)