In today's GB News Daily Reflection, we draw on Psalm 23 to portray God as a shepherd who offers rest, protection and reassurance in times of exhaustion and suffering.
It suggests that, like sheep comforted by a shepherd’s steady presence, people can find peace and safety in God even in life’s darkest moments.
"The Lord is my shepherd. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. What is that about? Well, I once met a shepherd who had a shepherd's crook just like this.
"And I thought shepherds used their crook to prod the sheep or to hook the sheep. But he told me that's not really what they do.
"He told me: 'What I normally do is this, I plant a crook in the ground and I rest on it. And by me resting and staying in one place, the sheep stay near to me. They feel safe. They feel protected. They feel known.'
"I think this Bible verse, this Psalm, is offering us an insight into what God is for us.
"God is our protector. God is our Shepherd. He restores us. He helps us to lie down and rest. He leads us in quiet places.
"And if you are going through the darkest valley, you can fear no evil."
