Taking Stock of Life

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“The Lord is my shepherd…”

Psalm 23:1

Main Readings: Luke 12:22-34 & Psalm 23

Related Readings: John 10:1-18

This Psalm’s so famous!  We’ve maybe heard it many times.  We know it’s by David.  And he’s like a sheep.  He never says that – but we know he means that.  Cos, if the Lord’s his shepherd.  David must be a sheep!

A sheep.  Livestock.  That’s what it’s about.  But it’s also about life-stock.  Taking stock of life.  David’s counting what he has.  And valuing it.  Just 6 verses.  But the valuing of the whole of a life – spent in the whole of God’s hand.  David’s taking stock.

That’s what I do where I work.  Every year we stock-take – take stock.  We count what we have and then value it.  It takes several people, two days, to count what’s in our warehouse. But in Psalm 23 it takes only one man, only 3 words, to count what counts in his life.  First 3 words.  What’s valuable in David’s life? – ‘The Lord is…’  How valuable?  6 verses tell us.  So let’s take stock.

So David’s like a sheep.  But he’s not just some random sheep, wandering aimlessly.  He belongs.  There’s a famous preacher-man from yesteryear called Charles Spurgeon.  He recognised the sweetness of this Psalm.  But dooya know what he said was its sweetest word?  The fourth word of verse 1 - ‘my.’  ‘The Lord is my shepherd’!  David belonged – to the Lord. 

Do we?  Or don’t we?  Do we only recognise perhaps that the Lord God has a flock – ‘Yeh – the Lord is a shepherd!’  Or do we know what David knew?  Can we say, ‘The Lord is myshepherd’?  Cos – if we can - that’s sweet.  And so precious!  Take stock.  Belonging to him.  That’s what counts!

So, how can we belong?  How can we be sheep of his pasture?  Only one way.  ‘By faith.’  That’s a phrase that’s repeated in Hebrews 11.  About many Old Testament people.  And how they lived.  And how they related to God.  How?  ‘By faith’.  They’re often referred to as a ‘great cloud of witnesses.’  But we could call them ‘that great flock of sheep.’  Sheep of the Lord – by faith.  They believed he was who he said he was.  Those people were like David.  They all lived before the coming of Christ.  Their understanding of Christ – and the exact size and shape of God’s rescue plan – varied.  But they believed that what God said he would do – he would do.

We’ve an advantage.  Christ has come.  We have the New Testament record of what he did.  And exactly what that means.  But it means nothing - if we don’t believe it.  If we don’t believe then we need to take stock - of what we are.  In need of saving.  Believe that - in Christ – God saves you.  And you’ll be saved.  And belong.  To that great flock of sheep.

David was the Lord’s by faith.  ‘The Lord is my shepherd.’  He ‘is’!  David knew it and believed it.  And claimed it.

So - after we’ve taken stock in my warehouse - something happens.  We get two printouts.  One is the record of what we’ve counted.  The other is the record of what we should’ve counted.  They never agree.  There’s stuff missing.  I go and check.  For the stuff we ‘lack’.  I’m nervous.  Cos I’ve got to explain it.  Every stock-take, I wish the same thing – that the printoffs will match.  Everything there.  Perfect!  And that’s why I love this picture of David - standing at the printers - in verse 1.

He's just checked his warehouse of life.  Feeling a bit nervous as those two printoffs print off.  And then he looks.  What’s there?  ‘The Lord is…’   What’s missing?  ‘I lack nothing’!  Perfect! - he’s counted everything his life needs!

All he needs.  But only a sheep.  So, what are they like?  As animals go - not the best.  Their strange head, and overall wooliness, weird legs, and odd tail – none of which seem to go together.  Almost like an animal designed by committee!  Not the best!  But it’s their behaviour that’s worse.  They’re so daft!  They get rattled by the slightest noise.  They wander off where they shouldn’t.  They can’t get themselves back.  They need leading to what they need.  Cos they can’t find it on their own.  In fact, they can’t do life on their own.  I mean - who’d admit to that? 

But David did.  And he’d probably been King of Israel for like ages when he wrote this.  Others might’ve looked at him and seen a king.  But when David took stock in the mirror of life.  He saw a sheep.  Why?  Cos, he needed shepherding.  And wasn’t afraid to admit it. 

Can we do the same?  We live in a culture that constantly tells us to big ourselves up.  Make the most of what we are – and then add some!  Psalm 23 tells us the opposite.  It’s not for the self-sufficient.  But for sheep.  For the poor in spirit – the spiritually sheepish – that they might take stock of their own less. And be more blessed in him.  David’s not making much of who he is - but of who his ‘Lord is.’

But can we take stock of our lives and say, ‘I lack nothing’?  Errr – that ain’t easy!  We lean towards what we think we lack.  Like, ‘I could do with a bit more cash right now.  A holiday.  Or three.  A bigger house.  A better job.  More hair!  But this isn’t about having a Pinterest-perfect life.  It’s about what we really need.  Satisfaction and contentment.

Let’s say I had the power to give you two choices about the rest of your lives.  I haven’t, so don’t get excited!  But imagine.  I can give you – choice 1 - all the cash, cars, houses, holidays, friends, jobs, status, praise and whatever.  But I can’t promise how you’ll feel about that.  That offer comes with small print - ‘your satisfaction is not guaranteed’!  Or – choice 2 – I can give you no promise of anything material.  Houses, holidays, whatever – they’ll be whatever!  But what is guaranteed is you’ll have – for the rest of your life – a deep-down, total contentment with that life.  Which would you choose?

‘I lack nothing.’  We really would.  This is a call – when we take stock of our lives – not to bemoan what’s not ticked-off our wishlist.  But to trust that the Lord’s list – for our lives – is being ticked-off.  Paul, in Philippians 4, told us that he had, ‘learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.’  Wow! - but how?!  ‘I can do all this through him who gives me strength.’

Paul didn’t do ‘this’ in his own strength.  Neither did David.  Neither will we.  The Lord knows what we really need.  And he’ll give that.

So, what was a middle eastern shepherd like?  David knew.  Cos he’d been one.  They were hands-on.  They guided the sheep.  Fed them.  Protected them.  Lived with them.  And so – yeah – smelled like them!  Hasn’t our God done just that – in Christ?  His life experience smelled like us.  But when our lives are a mess, we can think that God’s put off.  Like other people are.  Like he’s sat in some heavenly office chair, away from it all.  That’s not Bible!  Life’s a mess?  The Lord’s not afraid of that mess.  He’s dealt with it before.  He’ll do it again.  And he’ll do more.

In verse 2, David says, ‘he makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me besides the still waters.’  Doesn’t that sound good?  And we might think, ‘Yeah – and a little far-fetched!’  Cos life often feels different.  More desert or raging seas, than greenery and mill pond.  The picture of lying down life in verse 2 is rather sunbed.  When our lives seem more stress-head. Busy-ness!  Overwhelming busy-ness!  It’s promoted like it’s a good thing - it’s worn like a badge of honour - Life’s a competition.  And sometimes, it’s like we’re in competition with the planet we live on, to see who can spin the fastest!

But the Shepherd knows what we need.  And we need rest.  Have you ever experienced that?  Stressed to the max.  But then, something happens and you’re made to stop for a moment.  And in that moment, you take stock - you remember who the Lord is, and who you are in him.  And in that moment - inwardly – you get rest.

But how beautiful’s the wording? - ‘He makes me.’  What a God?  ‘He makes me.’  My life choices aren’t always so good.  But he is.  He makes me.  Forced.  What rest there is when his loving care forces my choice.  We need a hands-on God like this.  And he’s this!

The other weekend I was so stressed.  And I’d chosen what to do to relax.  But then my choice was re-made.  My nephew needed a responsible adult to look after him.  There wasn’t one.  So, I got the job!  We went to Thornes Park on the bus.  We did putting.  And we did parcour.  Parcour – not sure?  It’s jumping on and off stuff.   Or, as my nephew put it – ‘falling over with style’!  I love it!  But I’m limited to what I can do on my own – cos I’m 53 – and somewhat constrained by societal rules!  But this was so different.  And so freeing. 

When I got home, my wife said, ‘I’m so sorry – that wasn’t what you needed.’  And I replied, ‘Oh, but it so was!’  Not my choice.  But a better one.  It’d felt like a green pasture.  And I’m not talking about Thornes Park putting green!  A green pasture mentally – emotionally - inwardly.  While my outer person fell over.  My inner person laid down.  And it got me thinking.  In the context of these verses.  ‘He leads me…’  Are we prepared for that - not just on a weekend - but in the bigger decisions of life?

It’s so easy to set out – set plans for life.  This.  This.  This.  And that.  In that order.  But if our plans are set.  And our path is fixed.  How’s he gunna lead?  Let’s take stock.

Verse 3 continues this theme - ‘He refreshes my soul.’  Other English Bible translations go for words like ‘renews’, or ‘restores.’  Refresh. Renew.  Restore.  That’s something I do with my computer.  Cos it’s prone to go wrong.  Bits of its programming get glitches.  And it goes round and round in circles never getting anywhere.  It can be malware – bad bits that get in and create havoc.  But it’s got something called a restore point.  When things go wrong – my computer can renewed and refreshed - back to that point where everything works well.

The Lord can take us there too.  Life going round in circles.  Malware – bad stuff got in.  He can take us to the restore point we always need – the cross of Christ!  And he can get us moving right again.  ‘Along the right paths.’  Why’d he do that?  ‘For his name’s sake.’

It’s so awesome.  Sometimes - when we take stock of life – our view’s the wrong way round.  It’s our life story – with the Lord as a character that’s in and out of that story.  Not so.  ‘For his name’s sake.’  We’re part of a bigger story.  His story.  If we’re in Christ by faith - we’re characters in his amazing story.  His story – that covers the whole of history!  Its so much bigger than what we sometimes think.  And there’s much more at stake.

Cos we can get so bovvered!  When life goes wrong.  How’m’I gunna look.  People’ll laugh.  My name’ll be mud.  My names at stake.  No.  Christian.  It’s bigger than that.  You’re his - his names at stake.  Ended up in a life place where you ask, ‘Where can I go from here?’  Go to him.  He’ll guide.  And nudge.  And correct.  And redirect.  It may not be comfortable.  But it should bring comfort.  At the end of verse 4, we have that.  ‘Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.’  Things used for our good – And used for his glory.

Rod and staff - they’re what the shepherd uses.  The rod symbolises protection.  Knocking bad stuff outta the way.  Like a divine cricket bat!  And staff.  To change our direction.  And stop us wandering where we shouldn’t.  To guide us along right paths.  For.  His names sake.

But notice the change here.  The first three verses are so relaxed.  Filled with carefree sounds.  And life’s so light.  And then verse 4, it turns dark.  But that’s not the only change.  In those first three verses, David’s telling us.  About ‘the Lord.’  Verse 2 and 3 say, ‘He – he – he – he – his.’  This is what we need to know about him.  And then David enters the darkest valley.  He stops talking to us.  And addresses the Lord directly.  ‘He’ becomes ‘you.’  Not addressing the great flock.  But the greater shepherd.  He’s pressed into the shepherd.  And feels his presence.  And feels less fear.  Knowing ‘you’ Lord are there. And you Lord ‘are with me.’

Ain’t that a fact?  ‘The darkest valley’ - that’s when we’ll really press in.  And know his - up close and personal - presence.  The darkest valley - God’s word doesn’t promise us that we won’t walk there.  Actually, it’s the opposite.  But it promises something very great and precious.  We will ‘walk through’ – come out the other side.  And he will ‘walk through’ with us.  Believers! – when we take stock of our lives.  Let’s take stock of his promises.  Cos we’ll need ‘em!

Cos, what we often want is difficulty – opposition – enemies gone.  From life for good.  But David realised that God’s way was different.  And better.  Verse 5 – ‘the presence of my enemies’ that’s not going anywhere now.  But something’s coming my way - in that now.  And this verse represents God’s promise of inner provision in that now moment.  Not, ‘I’ll take your enemies out.’  But rather ‘I’ll put in - in you - what you need.’  ‘You prepare a table before me.’  Not just fed.  But sat at a prepared table.  With a feast of rich food. 

It doesn’t picture a quickly snatched meal deal from Tesco Express.  It’s not meant to.  Or a bottle of Smart Water that sounds healthly.  But tastes filthy!  Not at all!  And what about the drink - that ‘cup’ in this verse?  It ‘overflows.’

That Spurgeon fella – he asked the question ‘what if God filled our cup in proportion to our faith?’  Good question that!  But the answer might well leave us thirsty!  In those moments when we can say, ‘My cup overflows.’  It’ll not be – so much - cos of our overflowing faith.  But cos of our Lord’s overflowing goodness.  And goodness ‘follow(s)’ into verse 6.  The presence of enemies may have us feeling chased down.  But it isn’t the only thing that’s in hot pursuit.

Sometimes I take my niece’s dog for a walk.  Often, he lags behind.  I used to worry.  And stop.  And wait.  But then I learnt - I didn’t need to.  I could just press on.  He was never too far back.  Always following.  It’s in his nature - to relentlessly run after me.

So, with God’s goodness and love.  It may feel like they lag behind today.  We may worry.  Press on - they’re not so far back.  It’s in his nature.  He’s relentless.  Even when you least expect - goodness and love may overtake you.  Time and again.  ‘All the days of my life.’

That’s what David says.  But he doesn’t end there.  Cos the life of faith doesn’t end there.  David takes stock of his life.  And then takes stock of the never-ending life the Lord has promised.  ‘I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.’

Sheep are not usually invited into the shepherd’s house.  Why?  They’d make a mess of the place.  It’s in their nature.  Ours too.  In Eden, humankind was thrown out of shared living space with God.  Cos of the mess they made.  But God wasn’t afraid of our mess.  He’s cleaned up.  In Christ - he’s cleaned us up.  And he can clean up our act.  And the final act of our lives.  Will have us walking through – with him – and coming out the other side. And we’ll go.  Invited once again.  To share his living space.  For ever.

When we take stock of our lives.  It’s so important we factor in life to come.  Darkest valleys and enemies gone.  Him forever.

May what was true for David.  Be true for us all.  ‘The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.’  ‘And I will dwell in the house of the Lord… for ever.’