Tag Archives: rod and staff

Streams in the Desert

Streams in the Desert – Tools of the Shepherd

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Psalm 23:4

The rod and staff are tools of the shepherd. The rod is a club that the shepherd has carved from the root of a tree and fitted to his hand. The shepherd keeps the rod with him at all times and uses it as a weapon. When wild animals or snakes threaten the sheep, the shepherd takes aim and uses the rod to kill or drive off the intruder.

The staff is a useful and essential tool for the shepherd. Many staffs had hooks at the end for catching sheep that were wandering off, for lifting a lamb and putting it back beside its mother, and for pulling away thorny bushes the sheep might wander into and get caught in. Sheep fall over cliffs and have to be rescued. They get into weeds that will make them sick if they eat them. They must have a shepherd with them at all times to care for them and guide them. The shepherd uses his staff to assist the sheep. Sometimes he uses it to pull a sheep close to himself so he can inspect it for cuts and bruises.

So how are God’s rod and staff a comfort to us? They comfort us because God is our shepherd, guiding us day by day. Some days we may feel the hook of the staff around our necks guiding us back to the right way. Sometimes we hear the rod as it flies past our head to chase away something that would have hurt us. And sometimes we feel the staff of God’s love pulling us close to him.

Dear Lord, You are my Good Shepherd. Thank you for watching over me even when I am stubborn and foolish. Thank you for pulling me back in line and closer to you. Amen.

 

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Charles Stanley – Led by the Shepherd

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Psalm 34:9-10

As our Good Shepherd, the Lord fills many roles. Yesterday, we saw Him as a pardoning shepherd. He is also a providing shepherd—He knows our necessities before we even ask for help, and He delights in meeting those needs (Matt. 7:9-11). In practical terms, that means He knows what we need physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And He is already at work, achieving and providing things that we may not even have thought of as yet.

Not only does God provide for us; He’s also a protecting shepherd, who defends us from attack. In verse 4 of Psalm 23, notice what comforts the writer—the Lord’s rod and staff. Ancient shepherds used these two implements to defend their sheep from vicious animals seeking a quick meal. God goes ahead of us, clearing our path of the Enemy’s snares.

It is important to note, though, what Psalm 23 does not say. As much as we might want to avoid hard times, this passage doesn’t tell us that God will lead us around the “valley of the shadow of death.” Rather, He leads us through it (v. 4). This means that God’s plan often requires us to walk through painful circumstances, facing those shadows and dark places in our lives. However, in the midst of the rough journey, we can remain confident by keeping our eyes on the Shepherd, who leads us safely home.

Have you experienced the Lord’s provision, only to fall into subsequent doubt and fear because of loss or hardship? He has not left you. God remains your Good Shepherd, leading you through the darkness and into the light, where He is.