The True Pasture

The picture of Jesus as the Good Shepherd is one that many of us have cherished since we were children. My Grandmother had a picture of Jesus sitting in a pasture, surrounded by His sheep and holding a lamb in His lap. She told me that when she prayed for each member of her family, she would picture that person as the little lamb being cared for by the Shepherd. That picture now hangs on the wall in my bedroom with name plaques of each family member beside it.

The 23^rd Psalm is a portion of scripture that many recognize and a child of God always finds comfort in those reassuring words. As the Good Shepherd, the Lord cares for and protects His sheep, directs them in the path they should go, and searches for the ones that wander away. The chorus to a song that was popular years ago said:

Here I am, here I am!

I'm the one the Shepherd left the fold and found.

There were ninety and nine, but He left the fold to find

One little lost lamb, and here I am!

Yes, the image of our loving Shepherd is one I have cherished in my heart for many, many years. But what about the pasture...

I am your true pastureland, the one who gave hope to your ancestors.

Jeremiah 50:7 CEV

Whoever found them devoured them; their enemies said, 'We are not guilty, for they sinned against the LORD, their true pasture,the LORD, the hope of their fathers.'

Jeremiah 50:7 NIV

The dictionary defines pasture as: "land with vegetation cover used for grazing of animals as part of a farm or ranch. Prior to the advent of mechanized farming, pasture was the primary source of food for grazing animals. Soil type, minimum annual temperature and rainfall are important factors in pasture management."

If Jesus is my pasture, then He is the one I depend on for the primary feeding of my soul...not a preacher, a book, a song, or a blog post. All those things are good supplements, but the Source is what sustains me. This Divine Pasture has fertile soil for maximum growth, a shelter from heat and from cold, and is fed by the River of Living Water! How great is that!

The Lord is my Shepherd and my Pasture...the true resting place for my mind, body, and soul...in Him I am complete and have everything I need.