Job 37-39, Matthew 24: 32-51, Psalm 23
Psalm 23: 1-4 (ESV)
“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 paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even 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.”
What is it about Psalm 23 that brings tears to my eyes,
especially verses 1-4. It could be all the times I’ve heard this Psalm recited
at funeral church services, which brings up memories of the people who died.
Hollywood has even woven Psalm 23 into many scenes where people are at their
lowest, and we watch on screen how just saying Psalm 23 brings comfort to the
fictional characters in the film. Or maybe it is all the times I’ve opened my
Bible to find Psalm 23 so I could read it and bring comfort to my troubled
mind.
There is something so soothing to my mind to think about God
as a good shepherd, who looks to all of my needs and who will protect me through
all evil. Even though I often think of myself as that one lost sheep that the shepherd
has to leave the whole flock to find. That black sheep who keeps constantly
wanting to go their own way and always wants to leave the safety of the shepherd
and flock to chase that shiny thing out there. The black sheep who is always thinking there are greener pastures out
there than the fine green pasture the shepherd has found for me.
I often think I ought
to memorize Psalm 23 so its words can easily to my mind when I am troubled. But
I love the physical act of opening my Bible to find Psalm 23. To read it with
my eyes and mind first, and then to finally read it out loud reverently and
with tears in my eyes and a catch in my throat through every word. That is
power of Psalm 23 for me.
No comments:
Post a Comment