ROD AND STAFF

Your rod and your staff they comfort me, Psalm 23:4

This is taken from the famous Psalm, The Lord is my shepherd.

The rod was a short, sturdy club carried by the shepherd, and it was used for protection against predators, wolves, and lions. We know, of course, the devil roars around like a roaring lion, so Jesus, our shepherd, is our defence and protection from the enemy. But it was also used to correct or discipline a sheep that strayed. We are all like sheep at times that tend to go astray and wander off. Apparently, often with new lambs, the shepherd would break one of their legs so they would not wander off. Sometimes God allows things in our lives to stop us wandering off. He does it out of love. I had a running friend who got saved, and God spoke to him to lay down running, but he didn’t want to, and then one day he broke his leg, and he knew God allowed it to get his attention to stop him from wandering away from his calling. The staff was a long stick with a crook on the end. It's used to guide and pull sheep back from danger. It's God's guidance, presence, and gentle direction. He doesn't just protect, He leads and supports. It's like those gentle nudges of the Holy Spirit don’t go here, don’t do that, go this way. The comfort is that God is near, guiding your every step. He is indeed Our Jehovah Rohi, the Lord is our shepherd, he leads us in paths of righteousness and guides all our steps, and when we are tempted to wander off, He will gently pull us back. If we keep resisting and keep fighting Him, he will bring his loving discipline to bear on us. Those he loves, he will discipline