My Shepherd

A shepherd tends his sheep. A shepherd protects his sheep. A shepherd will leave the 99 who are well and good, to rescue the one who is in danger, in need, lost. 

The year 2020 was tough on everyone. Most anyway. We were locked in. Lost loved ones we couldn’t see. Lost jobs. We were separated from life necessities such as  laughing with friends, loving our families, breaking bread with one another. People became distant, cold. 

Essentially, I was locked down in a two bedroom apartment, seeing my roomie very little, and no family or other friends and it was very much like solitary confinement. In that confinement the only thing left after hours of movies and internet, was thinking. Our minds wander when we do this. Old memories come back, the ones we hid. The ones we never dealt with and thus, never healed from. The ones we hid so we wouldn’t have to face truths. The ones that threaten to break us. And when I got to the breaking point, he wrapped his arms around me and gave me Psalm 23. I’d read it many times before, but never like this. 

The Lord IS my shepherd;
I SHALL NOT want.
HE maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
HE leadeth me beside the shrill waters.
HE restoreth my soul:
HE leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though “I” walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
“I” will fear NO evil; for THOU art with me, THY rod and THY staff, they comfort ME.
THOU preparest a table before ME in the presence of MINE enemies:
THOU annointest MY head with oil; MY cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me ALL the days of my life:
And “I” WILL dwell in the house of the Lord FOREVER.

It was the year he opened my eyes to the fact that I truly was loved, not unlovable. That I truly was a priority, not second best. That I was needed, necessary, valuable, not worthless. 

YOU matter. YOU are valuable. YOU are loved. HE will never leave you.