I’ve been doing a lot of reading about sheep over the past several weeks as we have been looking at Psalm 23 for our sermon series, “The Lord is My Shepherd”. One of the books I’ve been reading is called A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller. I was reading last week about verse 5 where it says, “Thou anoinest my head with oil.” Phillip Keller gave several reasons why a shepherd might anoint their sheep’s head with oil.
In particular, he said a very common reason a shepherd would anoint them with oil was to protect them from the flies and other insects that sometimes get in their face and become a nuisance. The oil repels the insects and helps sooth the sheep so they can become peaceful again.
Phillip Keller writes about the process of keeping the sheep free from insects and says, “Only one application of oil, sulfur, and tar was not enough for the entire summer. It was a process that had to be repeated. The fresh application was the effective antidote.”
In life we often find ourselves irritated and annoyed by work, relationships, chores, sickness, and grief. There are things that become a nuisance to us every day. In those moments, God’s Word becomes the oil to our head that helps sooth us and bring us peace. It brings a message of hope and life that we are in need of. Just like the sheep, one application of this “oil” is not enough. It’s a process that must be repeated.
Each morning I begin my day reading our daily devotionals that our staff write at St. Luke’s. I get them emailed to me so it’s on my phone first thing in the morning. I’m able to read it while at the gym or while getting ready in the morning. Each day, even on Casual Friday, I find this practice to be an anointing oil to my head that brings me peace and healing and start my day in the right frame of mind.
Do you have a daily devotional that you love and brings you peace? Share it here with us so we can all experience that anointing oil! What kind of routine do you have that helps you get a fresh application every day?
