Psalm 23
This past Sunday there was a lot of talk
about sheep and shepherd in the lectionary readings. In John
10:27-28, Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and
they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish.
No one will snatch them out of my hand.” And in Rev. 7:16-17, there
is a glimpse of what the eternal life that Jesus gives is like:
“They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
It is no surprise then, that the Psalm to be read was Psalm 23.
Psalm 23
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.”
What do you think of when you hear Psalm 23? A funeral you have been to? Memorizing it for prizes at Bible Camp? Praise choruses from the 1970's? Maybe not but these are a few of the things that come to mind for me.
But after this weekend, I will think of two words that rhyme: protection and direction.
Why? Verse 4 talks about God's comfort coming through two things - God's rod and staff. His rod fights off the enemy and is a source of protection. His staff ensures I'm on the right path and is a source of direction. What comfort, reassurance, and sense of security we can get from God's protection and direction. As our Shepherd, He really watches over us! I know that sounds obvious, but do we let it sink in. “The Lord is my shepherd.” I don't need to stress and fuss. I just need to walk in trust. This may be easier said than done but it is not impossible!
It is worth noting that the context of this comfort is the darkest valley, a place where it is natural to fear and easy to get lost. God shepherds us through those times.
So, where do you need God's protection? Or His direction? Take some time right now to read this psalm as applying to that area of your life.
God be with you,
Tracy
“They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
It is no surprise then, that the Psalm to be read was Psalm 23.
Psalm 23
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.”
What do you think of when you hear Psalm 23? A funeral you have been to? Memorizing it for prizes at Bible Camp? Praise choruses from the 1970's? Maybe not but these are a few of the things that come to mind for me.
But after this weekend, I will think of two words that rhyme: protection and direction.
Why? Verse 4 talks about God's comfort coming through two things - God's rod and staff. His rod fights off the enemy and is a source of protection. His staff ensures I'm on the right path and is a source of direction. What comfort, reassurance, and sense of security we can get from God's protection and direction. As our Shepherd, He really watches over us! I know that sounds obvious, but do we let it sink in. “The Lord is my shepherd.” I don't need to stress and fuss. I just need to walk in trust. This may be easier said than done but it is not impossible!
It is worth noting that the context of this comfort is the darkest valley, a place where it is natural to fear and easy to get lost. God shepherds us through those times.
So, where do you need God's protection? Or His direction? Take some time right now to read this psalm as applying to that area of your life.
God be with you,
Tracy
Comments
Post a Comment