In The Midst of It All

23 1-3 God, my shepherd!
    I don’t need a thing.
You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
    you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word,
    you let me catch my breath
    and send me in the right direction.

4 Even when the way goes through
    Death Valley,
I’m not afraid
    when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd’s crook
    makes me feel secure.

5 You serve me a six-course dinner
    right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head;
    my cup brims with blessing.

6 Your beauty and love chase after me
    every day of my life.
I’m back home in the house of God
    for the rest of my life.

I could read the 23rd Psalm over and over again and never grow tired of hearing the promises of God in it.  I love the way The Message Bible says it in such plain English.  Reread it a couple of times to yourself and begin to see what God is showing to you.  Do you see stress?  Do you feel like you have to do anything strenuous?  Did you think that God was angry at all with you?  None of these things are present here.

It is as if He is the play writer and is setting the stage for a magnificent performance.  He leads.  He guides.  He provides.  He blesses.  He protects.  He promotes.   In these verses you feel safe.  So….why do we not take this approach to everyday of our life?  If we fully trust in God then this should be our daily prayer.  Everyday we should look for the meadow and the still water.  Every day we should receive the overflowing cup and the prepared meal.  How have we gotten such a warped picture of Who God really is?

I don’t have everyone’s answers but this is mine.  Doubt.  Ya know how Jesus says it only takes faith the size of a mustard seed to move a mountain?  Well if this is true then how much doubt do we need to disbelieve the things of God….a mustard seed or less…  Satan prowls the earth like a roaring lion seeking to destroy lives and snare God’s people and surely this is what took my vision of the meadow and the still waters.  At some point something probably really tiny threw me in the wrong direction and I stopped believing.

How sneaky of the devil, who by the way, has no power over those who are in Christ. Begin today to read the 23rd Psalm until you believe it.  Don’t just recite it, make it personal to you.  See that God is talking about you and you alone.  Begin to find the faith to say, God is my leader.  God is my provider.  God is my Shepard.  God prepares a place for me.  I think that in a very short time doubt will leave you.  You will start to see God for Who is really is, a loving Father who goes before you in all that you do.