4th Sunday of Easter
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Written by Steven Joubert
This Sunday is the 4th Sunday of Easter which is also known as Good Shepherd Sunday. The readings today make reference to Christ as the Good Shepherd, including today’s Psalm. Psalm 23 has to be one of the most iconic in all of the book of Psalms. As we sing the “The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want,” the words invite us to a very powerful prayer. I think for many of us it is an extremely difficult prayer to say and mean with full sincerity and all honesty.
This invitation comes at a perfect time in the Easter season because as we are celebrating the Lord’s Resurrection, we acknowledge the reality and the fact that Jesus is God. And that truth cannot be accepted without some sort of buy-in on our part. After Jesus proves He is God, a response forces itself upon us. We simply cannot continue our ordinary affairs as they once were. We need to do something. That is the invitation. It is an invitation of trust; giving God control.
When we sing those words, does it really register in our minds the totality of what we are saying? Are you relying on getting that promotion to find your sense of worth, or is the Lord your shepherd? Do you ever feel like if you “just had a bit more money” your problems would go away, or is the Lord your shepherd? Do you make more time to binge watch a show than attend to your prayer life, or is the Lord your shepherd? I think the real power of today in the liturgy today is in the invitation to renew our commitment to Jesus’ lordship over our lives. Being shepherded by the Lord involves trusting the Lord; allowing His rod and His staff to comfort you. It is to allow God to lead you in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. If we are sheep and He is the Shepherd, the key for us is to trust the Shepherd knows what He is doing.
Steven Joubert is a high school campus minister in Florida. He is a singer-songwriter and NOVUM RECORDS artist. You can find his music on Spotify, Apple Music, and/or wherever you stream your music. To keep up with Steven, follow him on Instagram.
Pray with today’s psalm.