You anoint my head with oil; (Psalm 23:5b NKJV)

Has the itch of poison ivy drove you crazy? That’s how my eczema feels today. When the itch arises, I begin scratching and the rash accelerates.

The world can be like an annoying itch that won’t subside. The frustrations bring you to a point where you can’t take anymore.

Jesus cares about our smallest needs, and He cares about our physical needs. A good shepherd makes his flock’s physical needs a priority. One way includes anointing their heads and noses with an oily compound. Perhaps, you always thought this line from Psalm twenty-three carried a more spiritual meaning.

While reading A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, I learned about nose flies. They lay their eggs in the mucus membrane of a sheep’s nose. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae travel into the head and burrow down into the sheep’s flesh. Are you cringing yet? I can just feel the headache coming on.

The sheep begin experiencing inflammation and irritation, and their reactions can be severe. Do the irritations of life make you want to beat your head into a wall figuratively speaking? The sheep actually do beat their heads into trees or the ground. Some even die.

Sheep are dumb animals, but they recognize a nose fly when they see one. They associate the flies with the pain that arises from an infestation of eggs and larvae.

The sheep respond as dramatically to the nose flies as they do to the pain itself. They will stomp their feet and race around the pasture desperately trying to escape the dreaded nose flies. Some will even run until they drop from exhaustion.

The sheep find relief in one thing alone. The shepherd. They see their shepherd, and they know he will take care of their needs. According to this author, Phillip W. Keller, his sheep undergo an immediate change once he applies the ointment. The fearful frenzy disappears, and the sheep become calm.

Friend, we need that anointing too. The frustrations of this world can get under our skin. It’s so important to make time for that fresh anointing from the Lord. He truly cares about what’s bothering us.

Jesus doesn’t expect us to go through life burdened by a load of little things that have accumulated. Our good shepherd waits for us to come to Him for our daily quiet time. Not a quick prayer, but one that allows Him the time to anoint our heads with His sweet oil. What a wonderful picture we have here of the love and care of our good shepherd.

Lord Jesus, thank You for caring about the small stuff. Frustrations build up until I feel like crying, but when I come to You, I find relief. Praises to You, my good shepherd. Amen.

DIG DEEPER

Read John 10:1-5.

HIKING THE TRAIL

What annoyances irritate you? Leave them with Jesus.

RELATED RESOURCE

Does frustration ever send you looking for the armor of God? Get my FREE 7-day prayer guide based on all six pieces of armor here.

Much information in this devotional was gathered from: Phillip W. Keller, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1970, 2007, 2015) Kindle version, Chapter 10.

Originally posted on October 4, 2021 @ 3:00 am