Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4b
Just as the rod provided protection for the shepherd as he watched over the sheep, the staff also served a unique purpose. Most of us have seen nativity scenes in which the shepherds are holding a staff. At the top of the staff was a curved section, also known as a crook. Because the sheep are not the smartest of the animals, they would often wander off and fall onto ledges too steep and too far for the shepherd to reach them. This portion of the staff allowed the shepherd to rescue the sheep. The shepherd could lower the top end of the staff and hook the body of the sheep, pulling him to safety. As David reflects on the comfort that he felt knowing about God’s protection (the rod), he also includes God’s ability to rescue, represented by the staff.
There is a passage of scripture dealing directly with temptation, sin in the life of a believer, and God’s ability to rescue us from it all. Consider the words of Paul:
No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13
In this brief but powerful statement, Paul gives us three things to consider when it comes to the rescuing power of God.
- We are not alone in our struggle with sin.
It is one of the enemy’s greatest weapons: isolation. There is truly strength in numbers. That is why it is very important for Christians to unite with other like-minded believers in order to provide an environment of encouragement and safety. Our spiritual enemy would love for each of us to despair over our failures but God has a different plan. Instead of crumbling under the weight of moral failure, Christians can rise up out of the mire and live the next day in the victory of knowing they are forgiven. The enemy seeks to bring shame into our lives in an effort to cause us to feel unworthy and to break away from the rest of the flock. It is a part of human nature, doing the exact opposite of what we should.
Consider a Christian who fails in some area of his/her life. Instead of embracing grace and drawing nearer to God, the offender will often pull away. They may give up on serving God, forgetting the work that God is doing in their lives. Often this person will cease praying, neglect spending time alone with God, and may even be noticeably absent from church activities. But God’s plan is for us rise above that shame and to move on to the next day, the next season, and the next opportunity.
Paul is reminding us that no temptation we face is exclusively ours. This is what he means when he states, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man.” We can be assured that there are others who are facing the very same struggles. Practically speaking, it means that believers should not be apprehensive to discuss their temptations and failures with other Christians. But we must always use caution when being candid about our lives. This “openness” is only constructive when done in a nurturing, kind, and empathetic environment, free from judgmental and condescending attitudes…something for which the church should be known.
- God knows how much temptation each of us can bear.
Paul continues his thought on the rescue of God by declaring, “Who (God) will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able.” Have we ever noticed that the enemy seems to bring the same type of temptation in our lives over and over again? Let’s face it, we are not all tempted the same way. What might be a huge temptation for one person might not even be on the radar of another. For one it might be drugs and alcohol, for another pornography, and still another, fear and doubt. The enemy knows our tendencies and will strike in the place most likely to bring us down. That is why we must always be on the alert and vigilant to guard our hearts and minds against such attacks (James 4:7-8, 1 Peter 5:8-9a).
The promise made to us through the words of Paul is that God will not allow us to be so overwhelmed with temptation that we cannot recover. Just as the enemy knows where to strike us, our Redeemer and Savior knows how to protect us and to rescue us from that onslaught. Just as the shepherd would lower his staff down to retrieve the fallen sheep, our Shepherd will reach to the lowest of our lows to bring us up out of the shame and despair caused by sin.
- God will always provide a way of escaping the grip of sin.
“But with the temptation (God) will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” If we have ever had a doubt that God wants us to be spiritually successful, this statement should clear that up. Temptation will come into everyone’s life. It is a part of living in a fallen world naturally predisposed to rebel against the things of God. Unbelievers have nothing with which to fight against these things since they are spiritually dead and void of the Holy Spirit in their lives. However, the Christian has all of the resources necessary to battle and win the fight over sin. In fact, as we live our lives in the power of the Spirit of God, our attitude regarding sin changes completely (Galatians 5:16). The things of this world become unattractive and we begin to long for righteousness and the things of God. God truly does provide “a way of escape.” Even when we do fail, as believers, we should be quick to confess our sin to God and receive restoration and forgiveness. This quick response to sin provides a way for us to avoid missing opportunities to serve and experience the fullness of life talked about in scripture (Ephesians 3:19).
David was thankful for the comfort that he experienced as he reflected on the protection and rescue that God continually provided in his life. Can we relate to David? Do we find comfort in God’s rod and staff? I hope that today finds you thanking Him for them both!
*some thought from God’s Psychiatry by Charles L. Allen
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