Psalm 23

"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 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. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." Psalm 23

Psalm 23 – it’s a passage so many of us know by heart. I myself have been guilty of skimming over it when I come across it in my Bible reading simply because I “know” it already; the other day when I came to this well-known Psalm during my nightly devotions was no different. I recited it in my head and went to move on to the next Psalm, but this time, something made me stop. For the first time I realized that yes, I know the words of this Psalm, but did I really KNOW the true meaning of this passage? I decided to study it more and was amazed at all that is hidden behind these six verses.

Verse one is such a simple verse – “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” But, is it really true in our lives? Our human instinct is to want everything. Yet, this one simple statement keeps David, the author of this Psalm, from having a selfish heart. The fact that God was his shepherd was good enough to make him not want anything else. In fact, to David, that was all he needed.  This then made me think… Is that true for me? Does God fully satisfy me? Is He all I need to live every day of my life now and in the future?

Since God is our shepherd, we are His sheep. Obvious statement, I know. But seriously, when you think about it, sheep are completely dependent on their shepherd for provision, guidance, and protection. If God is our “Good Shepherd,” (“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” John 10:11) then we, being the sheep, should be obedient followers, wise enough to follow the One who is leading us in the right places and right ways. If we look to Him for provision, guidance, and protection as a real sheep looks to its shepherd, then God is supplying all of our needs. Thus, He is all we need so we have no reason to want anything else. Just as David says, letting our Good Shepherd guide us brings contentment – when God is my Shepherd, I shall not want.

Verse two goes on to say where one of the places God leads us is – through green pastures and beside still waters. God is the one who knows where the “green pastures and still waters” are that will restore us when He knows we need it the most. If we follow Him, He will lead us there. We can never find these places on our own because only with God comes true peace and rest. Knowing this helps us trust Him more because it reminds us that He knows what we can handle and knows when we need to be restored. "...But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." 1 Corinthians 10:13


The next verse also talks about God restoring us – “He restoreth my soul and leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” By making us rest in green pastures and beside still waters (vs.2), it restores and refreshes our soul, allowing us to refocus on God and not our trial or the craziness of life. He leads us on the paths He does for a reason. We may feel like we will never see that reason, but in this verse, He gives us one reason we can be sure of… "for His name’s sake" – for His glory. That alone should be enough to satisfy us. If for no other reason, He is leading us through every trial, storm and down every path for His glory.

“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 staff they comfort me.” After David mentions that God is the one leading him, this next verse reminded me that just because God is leading us, it doesn't mean it will be sunshine and rainbows all the time. David was walking through the valley of the shadow of death! He was running for his life. Yet, God was still with him and comforted him. Only one person can walk with us through life's dark valley and bring us safely to the other side – our God, our Good Shepherd.

The next verse says, “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.” During the time period that David wrote this Psalm, the host (the person who "prepared the table") of a feast was expected to protect their guests at all costs. God offers the protection of a host even when enemies surround us - He will protect us at all costs.


This verse also reminds me that God doesn't just fill our cup with blessings, but our cup “runneth over.” So often do I get focused on what God is not allowing me to have at the moment when instead I should remember the things He has blessed me with. Elisabeth Elliot once said, “We accept and thank God for what is given, not allowing the not-given to spoil it.” God has blessed each of His children with more than they could ever ask for. We cannot be so focused on what we don’t have that we spoil the praise we should be giving God for what He has given us. This ties back to verse 1, God supplies everything we need so we have no reason to want more.

Finally, the last verse sums it all up… “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Knowing that God is always with us and guiding us while we are on this earth brings comfort. But also knowing that we as believers will someday dwell with God forever in heaven gives us motivation to keep pressing on. He, being our perfect Shepherd and host, promises to guide and protect us throughout our life and to bring us into heaven someday forever. This verse says that “goodness and mercy” will follow us all the days of our lives. Who is it that comes to your mind when you think of goodness and mercy? God! God will follow us all the days of our lives. No matter how difficult the road we are facing becomes, He will always be with us until someday we are with Him.

Whatever happens in life, if we trust God and follow Him, He will guide us. The road may not be easy, but through it He offers protection, comfort, and all of Himself to help us along the way. He will supply our need, He will restore and refresh us when we need it, He leads us where He does for His glory, He will never forsake us, He will protect us, He will continually bless us, and He will always be with us. The Lord is my Shepherd. Is He yours?

 “In Heavenly love abiding, no change my heart shall fear & safe is such confiding, for nothing changes here. The storm may rage without me, my heart may low be laid. But God is all around me; I cannot be afraid. Wherever He may guide me, no want shall turn me back. My Shepherd is beside me & nothing can I lack. His wisdom ever waketh, His sight is never dim. He knows the way He taketh & I will walk with Him. Where He leads me I will follow. He gives comfort in my sorrow; I rest in His care. Green pastures are before me, which yet I have not seen. Bright skies will soon be over me, where darkest clouds have been. My hope I cannot measure, my path to life is free. My Savior holds my treasure, & He will walk with me.” ~ In Heavenly Love Abiding



A Finish-Line Focus

"Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 3:12-14

While sitting at the track the other day waiting for a friend, I watched the academy PE class do a relay race. What started out to be just merely watching the cute kids run, turned into me silently cheering for this one little fella. The first race he almost won, but was overtaken and defeated by a girl from the other team. I noticed he kept looking back, and with each look back he lost pace, speed, and ground. When I realized they were doing a second race, I sat on the edge of my seat as the baton was passed to my little fella. Silently, then audibly, I kept saying, "Don't look back, don't look back, don't look back - just keep running, keep going forward. . ." and He did just that.

He ran as hard as he could and he kept his ground. He won because he didn't look back; he only dug in, looked forward, and ran towards the finish line with all he had. Not even a glance back to see what was trailing him. As he crossed the finish line, I wanted to run down to the field, grab that little guy and hug him, but instead I just sat there watching. After he crossed the finish line he immediately went over to the grass and collapsed. Poor kid was exhausted! But, his PE teacher came over and picked him up off the ground and gave him a high five followed by the words, "You did it! Awesome job! You ran hard and finished first!"

I sat there smiling over the little guy's victory. I chuckled at myself for getting so wrapped up in a simple elementary school PE activity. Yet, in my chuckle, I felt God tap my shoulder and nudge me as if to say, "You're running a race, too, kiddo." Ouch.

I sat there going through all the happenings of that little boy's victory. First, his failure; He kept looking back and it cost him what could have been a great victory in the first race. Then, he reflected only on the failure to find the things that caused the failure - to find what needed to be re-worked. Next, came the victory, as he kept his eyes focused on the finish line. He didn't look back, not  once, he kept his focus and ran with all his might.

Just as I felt the nudge from God, the "You're running a race too, kiddo," I realized that in this life, it is not so much about what happened in the past as it is about learning from the past in order to run a more efficient and focused race ahead of me. There will be times when I stumble, but I have to get back up on my feet, re-focus and run with all my might toward the finish line. If I look back, I will get discouraged, I will fear, I will loose my ground; it may even cause me to fall and become seriously injured, leaving me in need of healing before I can continue the race.

Ultimately, when we focus on the finish line, victory is achieved. The victory of hearing, "You did it!" "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." Yes, the journey is just as important as the goal  which is what makes looking forward so important.

A fixed gaze forward (not backward), not looking over your shoulder to woundings, scars, bad memories, things that hurt you, disappointment, discouragement, heartache, failure, . . . a list that could go on forever. Rather, God knows each of those and He has called us to lay aside those weights which so easily beset us, and press toward the goal, to finish well, yes, but to have run well with your eyes on Him, experiencing the awesome power of a Heaven-fixed gaze.

… A simple day at the track waiting for a friend turned into a first-hand lesson from God. I have heard it over and over that we have to look to God in everything and not look back. It made sense, yes, but to see that this little fella failed because he kept looking back, then to see him realize why he failed, and to finally watch him run that race with a forward-focus . . . well, my heart broke over my own wrongly focused vision and cheered for the lesson that little one had just painted for me.

May I become like my little fella at the track. May I have a finish-line focus, a good-race mentality, run my best, not look back, and finish strong.

Lord, may I run this race (my life) in a way that is pleasing to you. May I run this race strong - each and every stride. May I look forward, never behind. Help me, Lord, to realize that the race matters just as much as the finish line. And, that only in you will I find the strength to press forward, and the grace to leave the past behind.

Come and See

“Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found Him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.” John 1:45-26

The conversation between Nathanael and Philip takes place shortly after Jesus finds Philip and tells him to “follow me”… We don’t know Philip’s response to Jesus, all we know is that he went and told Nathanael. I’m sure Philip was full of excitement that he had found the Messiah. Maybe he had been looking for Him for a long time. But instead of joining in on the excitement, Nathanael is instead surprised that it could possibly be Jesus, simply because He is from Nazareth.

In that time, Jews hated the idea of their Messiah coming from Nazareth and that is exactly where Mary, the mother of Jesus, was from. (Luke 1:26) People from Judea looked down on the Galileans, so none of them wanted, or even expected, Jesus to come from those people. What captured my attention in this passage though, was the different conversations that take place - first starting between Nathanael and Philip…

The question Nathanael asks Philip is similar to one I have found myself asking God many times in my life when in a trial or facing a difficult time… “What good can come of this?” When thinking about it, I realize that this really is a faithless statement. Yet God in His amazing grace never gets impatient with our faithlessness. Instead, He answers just as Philip did… “Come and see.”

When storms of trials come into our lives, it is easy for us to become completely unsure of what God is really doing and why He is doing it. Sadly, it is not in our human nature to just trust God. Instead we easily doubt what He can do. But no matter how difficult our trial becomes, we cannot become faithless like Nathanael in this passage.

Further into John chapter 1, Nathanael listens to Philip and goes to meet Jesus. Yet Nathanael doesn’t believe that it is Him until Jesus literally proves Himself to Nathanael… “Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.” (Vs. 47-50)

Is it really possible to be so focused on the fact that no good can come of a situation that we completely miss seeing God in it? It must be, because it happens here to Nathanael. Maybe he had been told by so many people throughout his life that Jesus could not possibly come from Nazareth that he forgot that with God, all things are possible. Because of this, he came very close to missing Jesus all together.

From this, I realize that in the Christian life, we must not only have faith to “Come” – to follow after Christ. But we also have to have faith to “See” – to see His power, love, mercy, and grace… to see that He can make good out of an impossible situation. Yes, everyone around us might look at the trial or trouble we’re going through and say that it is impossible. But we must not forget that with God all things are, will, have been, and forever will be possible.

In this passage, Philip knew Jesus existed. That’s why he even began this conversation with Nathanael in the first place. That’s why he was able to answer “Come and see.” He knew what the result would be - he knew what Nathanael would find. He knew that good could really come from Nazareth – even though Nathanael didn’t. In the same way, God knows the end to all our trials and when we ask Him if good can come of what we are going through, His answer is just likes Philip’s… “Come and see.” Not just come, not just see; but come AND see. To do that takes faith. But when we do, we won’t only eventually find the end to our trial, but we will see how God will work it out for good - all for His glory. We will see that “…all things work together for good…” (Romans 8:28). We will see that “...God meant it unto good.” (Genesis 50:20)  And when His plan is revealed, we will be glad with exceeding, abundant, absolute, and complete joy.

One of my favorite parts of this passage is the very last phrase in verse 50 when Jesus says after proving Himself to Nathanael, “…thou shalt see greater things than these.” When we come through our trial and see God and His amazing grace, power and all He is capable of doing and that good can really come from impossible, it is one of the most amazing things we will ever see in the Christian life on earth. Because it’s something we waited for, suffered for, and prayed for sometimes for a very long time. Yet, even as amazing as that is, Jesus says we will see “greater things than these”… Something even greater than His glory being revealed – that’s what God can do. He doesn’t just make something good from impossible, He makes something great. All we have to do is stop questioning His true power, have faith, and listen to His calling, “Come and see.”