As we come to the end of Psalm 23, we also come to the end of Sammy and His Shepherd3. Sammy and Precious have traveled a long road together. They have learned to trust their Shepherd through green pastures, dark valleys, and every path in between. As they sit together reflecting on all they have experienced, Precious thanks Sammy for the kindness he has shown her. Through his patience, forgiveness, and love, she has come to know the Shepherd more deeply.
Then she says something that captures the heart of the whole story: “The more we know our Shepherd, the more we become like Him.”
Isn't that the beautiful work God has been doing in us all along?
As we've walked through Psalm 23 together, we've seen how our Shepherd knows us, gives us rest, and restores our souls. He walks with us through dark valleys and welcomes us to His table. Each of those gifts has been drawing us closer to Him. As we remain near our Shepherd, He quietly changes us. We become more patient and more forgiving. We are also gentler and quicker to pray until, little by little, His goodness and mercy overflow into the lives of those around us.
As mothers, we hope our children will remember bedtime stories, family vacations, holiday traditions, favorite recipes, and words of encouragement. Those memories are precious gifts. But perhaps the greatest legacy we have is the kind of people we are becoming. Will they remember a mother who knew where to turn when life was hard? A mother who found rest in God's Word, strength in prayer, joy in worship, and hope in Christ? Will they remember watching us ask forgiveness, extend grace, and trust the Good Shepherd when we didn't know what tomorrow would bring?
The wonderful news is that this transformation is not something we manufacture by trying harder. It is the gracious work of the Shepherd, who lovingly shapes His sheep into His likeness.
That is the confidence David expresses as he closes the psalm.
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…”
The word follow is almost too gentle. God's goodness and mercy do not simply trail behind us; they faithfully pursue us every day of our lives. On the days when motherhood feels joyful and also on the days when it feels exhausting, in seasons of abundance and in grief, His covenant love never stops pursuing His children.
Then David gives us one final promise.
I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
This is where the Shepherd has been leading us all along.
From the opening words of the psalm, David has been reminding us that we belong to the Lord. He is my Shepherd. He knows me, restores me, walks with me, feeds me, and pursues me with goodness and mercy. Now, at the end of the journey, we discover the Shepherd's destination. He has been bringing His sheep home.
That is the heart of God's covenant with His people. From the Garden of Eden to Abraham, from Israel in the wilderness to the coming of Christ, God has repeated the same wonderful promise: “I will be your God, and you will be My people.” In Jesus Christ, that promise has been secured forever. Through His life, death, and resurrection, we have been united to Him. We belong to the Good Shepherd.
Because we are His, nothing—not suffering, failure, wandering, or even death itself—can separate us from His love. The Shepherd who called us by name will never lose one of His sheep. He does not simply point us toward home; He faithfully brings us there.
I find that deeply comforting as a mother.
Motherhood itself is a season. One day, the toys will be put away for the last time, the lunchboxes will no longer need to be packed, and the bedtime stories will become treasured memories. But the most important relationship in my life will never come to an end. Long after my work as a mother is finished, I will still belong to my Shepherd.
Even more comforting is this: the Shepherd who has faithfully cared for me is the same Shepherd who loves my children. I cannot walk every path with them or protect them from every sorrow they will face, but I can entrust them to the One who has promised never to leave His flock. My confidence has never rested in my ability to hold on to Him. It rests in His unfailing promise to hold on to me—and to every one of His sheep.
As I think back over these six days in Psalm 23, I realize this has been the Shepherd's lesson all along. Before we were ever mothers, we belonged to Him. Before we ever sought to shepherd our children, we were being lovingly shepherded by the One who called us His own. Our deepest identity has never been found in what we do, but in whose we are.
And as the years pass, we'll discover that the greatest story was never about us at all. It was always about the faithfulness of the Good Shepherd. Through every joy and every sorrow, every ordinary day and every holy moment, He has been leading us home all along.
LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT
As you look back over your years of motherhood, what do you hope your children remember most? How has the Good Shepherd been shaping you into His likeness, and how does the promise that you belong to Him give you confidence for both today and eternity?
PRAYER
Good Shepherd, thank You that Your goodness and mercy have faithfully pursued me all the days of my life. Thank You for knowing me, for giving me rest, for restoring my soul, for walking beside me through dark valleys, for welcoming me to Your table, and for promising to bring me safely home. Thank You that my identity is not first as a mother, but as Your beloved sheep. Continue Your transforming work in my heart so that my children may see Your goodness reflected in my life. Keep me close to You until the day I dwell in Your house forever. Amen.
3Sammy and His Shepherd, writer Dr. Susan Hunt
Sherry Kendrick has served as the Family Ministry Director at Covenant Church of Naples in Naples, Florida, for more than sixteen years. She has spent over forty-five years investing in children and families through children's ministry, homeschooling, private education, and public education. Sherry is passionate about helping parents disciple their children through God's Word. She has a lifelong love of children's books and curriculum—so much so that collecting them has become one of her favorite hobbies.
For thirty-six years, Sherry served alongside her husband, Mike, in pastoral ministry in both small and large churches. Since his passing, she has continued to serve the church with a deep confidence in the Good Shepherd's faithful care. She is the grateful mother of three grown children and “Nana” to four beloved grandchildren.
Are there other women in your life who could benefit from a daily dose of encouragement? Forward this email so they can click on this link to Subscribe to Daily Treasure to be better equipped to walk by faith on the pathway God has marked out for them.
Sharon W. Betters is a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, pastor’s wife, and cofounder of MARKINC Ministries, where she is the Director of Resource Development. Sharon is the author of several books, including Treasures of Encouragement, Treasures in Darkness, and co-author with Susan Hunt of Aging with Grace. She is the co-host of the Help & Hope podcast and writes Daily Treasure, an online devotional.
Contact Sharon with comments or questions at dailytreasure@markinc.org.
