God is the start, telling us He is all we need.
He builds us up, then sends us out.
He is with us through tough times,
He blesses us more than we can imagine.
Every day will be a beautiful day as His child.
Recognize the above? That's my paraphrase of the 23rd Psalm. Try paraphrasing some of your favorite verses. You can.
The 23rd Psalm is the most requested of chaplains visiting hospitals. Has everything in it, including sheep! I have been repeating it to myself (and to Mike, lucky him) over and over these past few months. I haven't read commentaries on this Psalm, and I am certain there are essays and sermons on the internet I could look up and delve into. But I sometimes prefer taking a verse or Psalm and meditating on it myself. You too can do this. So here goes:
It starts off with God. Everything starts off with God.
The concept of Him being our shepherd is immensely calming. He watches out for danger and protects us when it comes. He knows where to lead us so we have food, water, shelter. He keeps us healthy. We are His focus. We are His.
He will provide everything we need and want. This concept is one I am trying to do better on. When something happens counter to what I wanted, it most likely is Him knowing there is something better for me down a different path. Got to trust God. He will provide. He is the shepherd, I am the sheep.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul.
Oh how I have visualized this over and over these past months.
Yes, He MADE me lie down. He got my attention. He stopped me in my tracks and my body rested.
God is restoring my soul. Not me restoring my soul. NOT ME, but God.
How? Well first of all I need to do that rest thing. Lie down. Be still. Be quiet. Be peaceful. Not on a time schedule. Not for fifteen minutes in between pedicure and budget meeting. True resting. If God is important to me, I will take time to be with Him. And He is, so the answer is YES I WILL.
Once I am resting, I turn to Him. Open myself up to Him. Ask Him to search me, heal me.
He will.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for His name's sake.
Once my soul is restored, He sends me out. The restored soul isn't the end of the road here on earth. He wants me out there, under HIS guidance.
Why? To reflect Him. To allow His light to shine in others' lives. To give Him the glory. This is all not about me, it is all about Him.
I want to work on giving Him the glory. I picture football players kneeling down when they score a touchdown. Or baseball players pointing up when they get a hit. I don't think those actions translate to my day to day living.Can you picture checking out at Whole Foods and pointing to Jesus, thanking Him that you just purchased groceries? Now that I think of it, why not? Okay, I'll think on this one.
I do want to live each day reflecting Him. Showing His love to every person I am with, dear friends, family, Whole Foods check out guy, next door neighbor.
I need to work on reflecting all glory to God, and even before that, being out there in the world beyond me working how HE wants me to. This is in the process stage.
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil for you are with me.
Your rod and staff comfort me.
So we are restored and out there in the world walking with God and what?
It isn't all pancakes and maple syrup? Nope.
There will be tough times, trials, darkness, illness, you name it.
We aren't promised easy, we are promised His presence.
We aren't promised no evil, we are promised Him.
It is through the tough times we learn how much He loves us individually.
We see His power.
It is through the tough times our faith in Him grows.
Thank you Lord for the tough times. You think I am worth it!
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil.
My cup overflows.
Whoa there... this really sounds like gloating to me. And enemies? Do I have enemies?
I have read these verses over the past fifty years, and pictured David the King and warrior, with the enemy army watching him eat.
Now I picture me at the table, with the food of angels laid out before me, and the chef is God. That's good cooking. Looking at me are my enemies. Still don't know who they are, they are in darkness so I can't see their faces.
I have been trying to figure this scene out.
It is God preparing the table, so He is saying "Do not hide my work in your life." We aren't to brag about what He does, we do need to get the "I am better than you" out of our voices lest we sound like Pharisees and we are self-righteous.
But we are to thank Him and acknowledge His work in our lives and talk about Him and be happy about how much He loves each of us. Otherwise, such a big important part of our lives will be left out of our conversations. The most important part will be left out.
Enemies. If I have enemies, I ask God to reveal them to me so I can pray for them and heal the relationship.
The anointing with oil might refer to their time when royal successors are anointed, but I like to think about anointing for healing right now.
The cup overflowing, well, isn't that just the coolest thing? Picture Jesus pouring into your cup. He gives you more than you asked for, more than you need. How can you not smile and chuckle.
Surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life.
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Looking towards a positive future. Goodness. Loving Kindness. You don't hear those words much in today's media. Or even in our conversations. But think on these two thoughts. Goodness. Loving Kindness. What do they mean to you?
To me, goodness is purity and innocence and light hearted laughter. It's truth and beauty and vitality and hope.
Loving kindness is action. It is a gift that is spot on, that encourages you or makes you smile. It is a gesture that fills an emptiness in you. It is a word that lifts you up. It is a soft breeze though trees, a hummingbird at your feeder, hitting a home run, sinking a forty foot putt, watching the sunset over the lake. It is sitting on your grandfather's lap when you were five, or receiving an IPAD when you got your biopsy results. It is touching on grace, undeserved favor.
Imagine being surrounded by goodness and loving kindness. No one is judging you that you come up short on either account. It is wanting to envelop you.
Dwelling in the house of the Lord. Who dwells in someone's house? Their family.
Yes that is right. We are the Lord's kids.
Doesn't that say it all?
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Psalm 23
The LORD, the Psalmist's Shepherd. A Psalm of David.
1The LORD is my shepherd,I shall not want.
2He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
3He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.
4Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
6Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
