Church family,
I was reading through Psalm 23 yesterday and thought I’d pass on some insights I received.
Psalm 23:1-6 (NLT)
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need.
2 He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.
3 He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.
4 Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
5 You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.
6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.
We perhaps have read or heard this Psalm a hundred or more times. It is a comforting Psalm to many of us. What the Lord showed me yesterday was not just how David’s writing conveys a personal relationship with God, but also recognition that God is the source of all his provision. (I highlighted the words “he”, “you”, and “your” through the Psalm to show that more clearly.)
All through the Psalm David is conveying complete dependence on the Lord. He is conveying that the Lord is the reason for His needs being met, His protection, His comfort, and His guidance. David is saying, ‘My faith is in the Lord. In and of myself I cannot, nor can anything else, sustain me.’
Reflect: am I living in the same light? Do I live each day in dependence upon the Lord? Have I come to recognize He alone is my source of provision for all I need?
In HIS hands,
Pastor Brian