Today's Journal
FINDING COMFORT
In the well-known twenty-third Psalm, we find many lines of comfort, but one specific line in verse 4 says, “Your rod and your staff they comfort me.” This is predicated on, “Even when I must walk through the darkest valley,” earlier in the verse.The entire Psalm is about The Shepherd that cares for the flock. The “Lord is my shepherd” (23:1). An extension of this idea is the shepherd role of the leaders of God’s people who are also called shepherds (elders). It is not a title, but a function. Tradition and men’s desire for place often call the shepherd role, pastor. Pastor is the Latin translation of the Greek word for shepherd (poimén). They are interchangeable terms in a biblical context. But the actual word pastor is used one time in the New Testament (Ephesians 4:11) and shepherd/elder is the common term for a flock leader. Again, a function, not a title. The scriptures don’t designate titles, only functions.
I think we desperately need shepherding couples to care for the flock of God and specifically to carry out the responsibility of the rod and the staff. The rod mentioned is a sturdy wooden stick used as a weapon to fight wild animals (think baseball bat) or club. As a metaphor, it is shepherd wisdom to keep the flock from harm and evil of any physical, mental, emotional and spiritual kind. The staff was a long slender shaft, hooked at the top, used to direct and recover sheep if they strayed as they went along. It was used for guidance and protection. Knowing the shepherds are doing this brings comfort to the flock. When shepherds are not using the ‘rod and staff’ the flock is scattered, tattered and torn. Without shepherds, the flock is a target for wolves and other predators. With them: comfort.
“If someone owns a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go look for the one that went astray? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that one of these little ones be lost.” Jesus