How do you need Jesus to guide you today? Perseverance Jesus, you know the right path for me - I follow you.

“He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:3) What sin or struggle do you need to confess to Jesus today? Guidance Jesus, when I am struggling you lift me up and hold me close. What desires do you need to set aside in order to thirst for Jesus alone? Confession Jesus, your Spirit is Living Water for my thirsty soul. “He leads me beside still waters.” (Psalm 23:2) What concern do you need to entrust to Jesus today? Acceptance Jesus, you woo me to be still and rest in your loving care. “He makes me lie down in green pastures.” (Psalm 23:2) What do you especially admire or appreciate about Jesus today? Trust Lord Jesus Christ, you are the desire of my heart always.Įnter into the picture, verse, and prayer. “The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1) A Psalm 23 Experience for Small Groups or Retreats Worship After you go through the meditation once go back and linger on that particular scene that you relate to: see yourself in the picture, meditate on the verse, and let my prayer for that verse guide you to reflect and talk to the Good Shepherd about the details of your life situation today. Probably one of the Psalm 23 scenes especially describes where you are at in your personal journey with Jesus today. To help you meditate on Psalm 23 I will lead you through it verse-by-verse and step-by-step with a picture and a paraphrase of each part of the Psalm to help you pray it from your heart to “the Shepherd of your soul” (1 Peter 2:25). (Ephesians 5:26 says that the word of God is designed to wash our minds.) Let the healing images of our Good Shepherd in this beloved Psalm wash away any painful memories from your past or any stressful scenarios you might find yourself in today. Oh, the blessings of having Jesus as our Good Shepherd! Healing Pictures and Meditations on Psalm 23Ĭome! Let’s gather beside Jesus, our Good Shepherd. Let’s open the eyes of our heart by praying Psalm 23 in special pictures and fresh words. Join me now in a special meditation as we follow Jesus on the eleven steps of the Psalm 23 journey. I lay down my life for my sheep” (John 10:14, 3-4, 11, slight paraphrasing of NIV84). They follow me because they know my voice… I am the good shepherd. “I know my sheep and my sheep know me… My sheep listen to my voice. “I am the good shepherd,” Jesus assures us. “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).Īre we listening? Really listening to our Lord with our hearts? The landscape itself is beautifully jewelled with flecks of gold that causes the mosaic to luminate over the entrance and draw in the viewer.“Come!” Jesus says to us. Rather than portraying events, common for artists of the time, the artists here have portrayed feelings allowing each viewer to interpret the mosaic based on their own ideals (Stockstad, 13). “I am the Good Shepherd, the Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep…” (John 10:11-16). The symbolism of Christ as a shepherd comes directly from the gospel of John in which Christ is leading the faithful and will lay down his life for the sheep, or those who are faithful to him (SmartHistory). This symmetry focuses the viewer's eye on the golden cross that Christ holds onto (Stockstad, 14).

The mosaic is symmetrical with Christ seated in the middle surrounded by three sheep on either side. This golden staff is made to look like a crucifix and this declares Christ’s victory over death (Stockstad, 14). The composition of his body leads the viewer’s eyes towards the shepherd's staff that Christ is holding onto. Christ is seen twisting his body to comfort a sheep near him. He is dressed in a robe of vibrant gold and purples-colors commonly chosen to represent those of imperial status and royalty. Here, a young shepherd, Jesus Christ, sits in a peaceful pasture watching over his faithful sheep. The Good Shepherd is a mosaic dating back to 425 AD that sits over the entrance to the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia in Ravenna, Italy (Stokstad, 13).

Jesus the shepherd images