Following the Shepherd
Psalm 23 presents a picture of God as a faithful Shepherd who leads, provides and remains present with His people. The Christian life is not primarily about pursuing comfort or personal fulfillment but about learning to trust and follow the Lord wherever He leads.
Guiding principles
- He guides, we follow.
- There is a cost to following God’s direction.
- Following Christ requires surrender and obedience.
- The road is hard, but God is good; He is enough.
- God’s goodness remains constant through trials and suffering.
- His presence provides what we need to endure challenging seasons.
- The only constant in life is the Lord.
- We are not called to pursue happiness; we are called to pursue the Lord.
- Circumstances, relationships and plans often change.
Shroud of Turin
The Shroud of Turin is a 14-foot-long linen cloth bearing the faint, negative image of a crucified man.
- The Imprint: The cloth features a dual (front and back) faint, sepia-toned imprint of a naked man. The image is superficial, only discoloring the topmost fibers of the threads.
- Wounds: The figure displays injuries that closely align with the biblical accounts of Jesus’s crucifixion, including flagellation (whipping) marks, puncture wounds on the head (consistent with a crown of thorns), and trauma to the hands, feet and side.
- Blood Stains: The markings are composed of real blood (Type AB), matching the serum and clot separation expected from trauma.
Insight
- Obedience begins with trusting God’s leadership and following where He directs.
- God’s goodness and sufficiency remain true even when the path is difficult.
- Lasting stability is found in the unchanging nature of the Lord rather than in changing circumstances.