Psalm 23
13/09/09 18:18
The Lord recently
awakened me out of a deep sleep and the only thing
that was on my mind was David’s 23rd psalm. It
is a psalm of great confidence and assurance with the
last verse proclaiming David’s hope of dwelling
in the house of the Lord forever. I have had this
psalm memorized for years. And when I had my stroke
three years ago, this was the psalm that I continued
to try and quote in order to keep my mind and speech
in working order.
It wasn’t funny then, but I am sure that if we heard a tape of me trying to quote that psalm back then we would all have a pretty good laugh, mixed with tears, of course. Strokes are nothing to laugh about and I don’t mean to belittle them in anyway, but I do recall beginning the 23rd Psalm saying, “The Lord is my fishing boat…” then, “Therrr fisher umm Lrrrd is…” I rejoice in that His merciful Hand was upon me and I have fully recovered. So, you can see that when I awoke the other day trying to quote this same psalm and not getting it exactly right (as you will see) I was just a little concerned! Well, anyway, I got up grabbing pad and paper and went down stairs. The first couple of verses came right away, it was like God started me off.
The Lord may or may not be my Shepherd,
Therefore, I still in some ways want.
He suggests that I lie down in green pastures
And I simply refuse to be beside still waters
Does He really need to restore my soul?
I walk in paths of righteousness for my own reputation
Yea, though I walk through the valley of doubt and pain,
I will not fear, for it is the circumstances I’ll blame.
Where is the table that He is supposed to prepare for me?
And it is really money and false hopes that comfort me.
Thou sprinkle my head with oil, my cup is cracked and broken.
Surely goodness and mercy shall flee me all the days of my life,
And I shall stand outside of the house of the Lord forever.
I know what you’re thinking, “Man, that’s ugly!” And you are right. But that is exactly what life is like for those who hold to a postmodern philosophy. It would behoove each one of us to determine to live our lives above this sort of paradigm. Riches will prove worthless in the day of tribulation.
Christians can rise above their circumstances. And God says that He is able to save us completely when we come to Him through Jesus Christ. If God be for you –who then, can be against you? Everyone, at some time had lived in this world without God and without hope. But God, in His rich mercy, though we were dead in our sins, made us alive in Christ Jesus. In accordance with His great love for us, He has accepted us into the Beloved and we are now living with both God and hope. Let us take to heart the words of St. Paul, “Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.
For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”
Have a God blessed week!
Pastor Jim
It wasn’t funny then, but I am sure that if we heard a tape of me trying to quote that psalm back then we would all have a pretty good laugh, mixed with tears, of course. Strokes are nothing to laugh about and I don’t mean to belittle them in anyway, but I do recall beginning the 23rd Psalm saying, “The Lord is my fishing boat…” then, “Therrr fisher umm Lrrrd is…” I rejoice in that His merciful Hand was upon me and I have fully recovered. So, you can see that when I awoke the other day trying to quote this same psalm and not getting it exactly right (as you will see) I was just a little concerned! Well, anyway, I got up grabbing pad and paper and went down stairs. The first couple of verses came right away, it was like God started me off.
The Lord may or may not be my Shepherd,
Therefore, I still in some ways want.
He suggests that I lie down in green pastures
And I simply refuse to be beside still waters
Does He really need to restore my soul?
I walk in paths of righteousness for my own reputation
Yea, though I walk through the valley of doubt and pain,
I will not fear, for it is the circumstances I’ll blame.
Where is the table that He is supposed to prepare for me?
And it is really money and false hopes that comfort me.
Thou sprinkle my head with oil, my cup is cracked and broken.
Surely goodness and mercy shall flee me all the days of my life,
And I shall stand outside of the house of the Lord forever.
I know what you’re thinking, “Man, that’s ugly!” And you are right. But that is exactly what life is like for those who hold to a postmodern philosophy. It would behoove each one of us to determine to live our lives above this sort of paradigm. Riches will prove worthless in the day of tribulation.
Christians can rise above their circumstances. And God says that He is able to save us completely when we come to Him through Jesus Christ. If God be for you –who then, can be against you? Everyone, at some time had lived in this world without God and without hope. But God, in His rich mercy, though we were dead in our sins, made us alive in Christ Jesus. In accordance with His great love for us, He has accepted us into the Beloved and we are now living with both God and hope. Let us take to heart the words of St. Paul, “Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.
For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”
Have a God blessed week!
Pastor Jim
|