The Bible chapter I love the most and am most familiar with is the 23rd Psalm. I spent hours memorizing it years ago and it’s words have brought me comfort so many times through the decades since.
Psalm 23: 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
With Jesus as my shepherd, what more could I want? No possession on earth matches the joy that comes from knowing He is there watching over us; ready to draw us back into the fold if by chance we wander away. Always watching, always caring….looking for the lost that they too might be saved.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters.
In Texas where I grew up, in the country and later on the edge of town, our yard had a little grass, many weeds and lots of dirt. When we visited my one brother and his new wife for the first time, the first thing my younger brother and I noticed was their yard covered by lush green grass….grass so thick you couldn’t even see the dirt beneath it. We left the car running and threw ourselves into that grass. We rolled in it for a while, then just laid there enjoying the feel of it’s softness on our backs.
The Lord has shown me the comfort that comes from knowing Him in many ways and many times since accepting Him….and often makes me lie down in the green pastures of His love. When the world gets too full of stress and turmoil, He leads me beside the still waters by filling my heart with the pure joy of knowing Him. He is the oasis I can always go to when life becomes a dessert of despair. The waves around me are stilled as He takes my scattered thoughts and puts them into order. “Be still,” He whispers, “and know: I am God. I can fix this.”
3 He restoreth my soul; he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Spending time with Him, through prayer or in reading His word, always restores my soul, refreshes my faith and lets me know what action to take….or equips me to wait with patience and take none….whatever path He wants me to follow.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
As the shadow of my mother’s impending death grew heavier on my heart, these words came to mind as I found it hard to walk past her hospital room doorway. “This is not some evil thing that is happening to your Mom,” He told me. “She is simply passing from this life into a much better one. Fear no evil, for I am with you….and with her…. all the way through.” What a comfort that was; when I needed it the most.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
What a joy to be able to serve the Lord in a world where many find fault with His teachings and argue His very existence. May our enemies soon see what they are missing out on as His blessings cause our cups to run over….with His love.
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.
“Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! Oh, what a foretaste ( just a sample) of glory divine!” These words from an old hymn come to mind when ever God shows His mercy….which is often. What a feeling to know that nothing can separate us from His love and we will live with Him for eternity.
I encourage you to memorize the 23rd Psalm and apply it to your heart. May it bring the same comfort and joy to you as it has to me in my walk with Jesus. As He said in Matthew 11:29-30 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
