THE ROD & STAFF

Psalm 23:4 (NIV) “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

The use of a rod in herding sheep:
1. Throw the rod gently at a sheep to get its attention or warn it not to do something. Shepherds use rods this way as a tool of discipline. Do not throw it to hurt the sheep, just to startle them into compliance.
2. Throw the rod at a predator to scare it away from your flock, or club aggressive animals or snakes with it. Throw the rod hard at dangerous creatures, aiming to wound or kill them rather than just to alert them.
3. Inspect your sheep closely by pulling their wool away from their skin with the rod. Check them for rashes, wounds or infestations. Shepherds also traditionally pass their sheep one at a time under their rods to count them.

The use of a staff in herding sheep:
1. Guide sheep in the right direction with the staff. Use it in place of a sheepdog to gently poke and press the animals into line.
2. Lift sheep with the hook on the staff and carry them out of dangerous situations. If a sheep has fallen into a hole or is stuck in a bush, use the staff's hook to lift it to safety. You can also use the hook to carry lambs to their mothers without touching them.
3. Comfort a nervous sheep by keeping constant contact with it through the staff. Continuously touch it lightly with the staff, reminding it that it has your attention and that you are guiding it. [ How to Use the Rod & the Staff in Sheep Herding by Stephanie Mitchell; www.dailypuppy.com ]

Not much has to be said here. You can see from the text above that our Shepherd, Jesus Christ, disciplines us, protects us, inspects us, guides us and comforts us all with His rod and staff, just as Shepherds in our day and time still do for their sheep herds. We may act as dumb as sheep from time to time, but this doesn’t surprise or anger our Lord, for He created us and knows us so much better than we know ourselves. Yield to his will and live in peace even in the face of the storm.

WALK WITH THE KING TODAY AND BE A BLESSING!