When is the Lord Your Shepherd?

Following up on yesterday's thought, my question today is, WHEN is the Lord MY Shepherd?

I find it so easy to say, "Oh yes Lord, YOU are MY Shepherd.", but as I begin reading

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23
by W. Phillip Keller 

I must begin to honestly question myself.

When is the Lord MY Shepherd?  If I am truly a sheep, and He is my Shepherd, do I truly love to be in His Presence, as the sheep love to be in the Shepherd's Presence, or do I linger at just the outside periphery of the flock?  Do I linger just close enough to feel the Shepherd's Presence, and to stay within the Shepherd's protection, or do I press in close to MY Shepherd?  Close enough to be within the reach of MY Shepherd's arms?

I read this book several years ago as I prepared a series of lessons for Kid's Prayer Class, but now I find myself studying these same pages with a different mind set.

My prayer today is, "Lord, let me be so close to you, that I can lead others into the Presence of the Shepherd.  Don't let me get so busy with my daily life, that when I look up, I find myself on the outer edges of the flock, and then I must work to get myself back into your arms."

MY DAILY MORNING DEVOTION: My Utmost for His Highest