WATCHWORD:
1 The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness, For His name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me, All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever. Amen. Psalm 23 (NKJV)
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12
It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. Deuteronomy 13:4
Meditation:
My Shepherd, My God
It’s hard for me to pray the 23rd Psalm without images coming to mind. I see a green valley, very similar to those I hiked through in Colorado and Wyoming. I see a broad and shallow stream flowing, not rushing, simply flowing with cool, fresh water. And when I pray the Psalm, I am a lamb, totally dependent on My Shepherd. I am overwhelmed with a sense of peace, that I am safe, that I am with my Lord, my Shepherd and my God.
This Psalm is a great comfort and encouragement to all of us. Jesus the Christ is our Shepherd who refreshes and restores our life, our soul. I believe that the word ‘restore’ means to put us back, not just where we were before we fell out of a relationship with Him, but to put us back into a new, an improved way that God intended. Our God has so much more for us than we ourselves can imagine. And so, as we commit ourselves to the Shepard, we move ever closer to what God had in mind for our lives, even before we were born.
God’s plan for us does not include failure, or sickness, or disease, or poverty, or misery. God’s plan for us exceeds the best that we can imagine for ourselves. It’s a life full of joy, happiness, accomplishment, and health. When bumps come along the way, He has equipped us to get through it.
But, where do the downer ideas we often hold, come from? That sense that we are not happy, that we cannot find the Joy of the Lord? Those nagging questions, like, “At my age, what am I supposed to do?” Or, “I have no extra money, how can I be generous beyond my tithe?” “I have cancer. My health is under-mined, I am limited at what I can do.” What about those things? That’s self-doubt, that is the slimy Devil, Satan, slipping in, robbing us of our peace of mind, our closeness to Christ. But, is this God’s plan for our lives?
No. Those conditions, and others, are not the center-piece of God’s plan for you or me. God’s plan is for us to trust Him. You know, when we pray “The Lord is my Shepherd…” we are reminding ourselves that we are the Lords. He is mine, I am His. He leads me. He is in charge of me. He loves me. And I will trust Him, even in this. Go back to hell, Satan, where you belong. Amen.
Bulletin Board:
Poetry from Billy Collins —
The Life of Riley: A Definitive Biography
He was born one sunny Florida morning
And napped through most of his childhood.
He spent his adult life relaxing in beach chairs,
Always a tropical drink in his hand.
He never had a job, a family or a sore throat.
He never mowed a lawn.
Passerby would always stop to remind him
Whose life it was he was living.
He died in a hammock weighing a cloud.
Closing Prayer:
Father, thank You for being my Shepherd, the One who leads my life. Stand on the hillsides where I can see You. Don’t let me miss You. As a sheep, I will look to You, listen to Your voice, and follow Your leading. I trust You to be the good Shepherd, the wise Shepherd, the loving Shepherd, and the strong Shepherd in my life. O Shepherd Lord, bless us with all good things that we may be refreshed with Your overflowing cup and dwell in Your house forever; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
