Psalm 23 The LORD is my shepherd
The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Psalm 23:1-3 NIV
Not so easy to realize at times. For today, think eternally. In that sense, when you have the inheritance of life eternal, you lack not a thing. Sure would be nice to have my house and vehicles paid off and enough cash to retire. Funny thing, if I had adhered to God’s guidelines going way back, I probably would. He had it all mapped out for me even thousands of years before I was born. All I had to do was recognize and listen. If that recognition had occurred when I reached the age of intellectual capability and accountability, things would likely be different. But, despite my willing and conscious refusal for a time, He had to adjust the plan and implement a quite amazing restructuring/rehabilitation effort. Which was quite easy for Him, although there was a time when I could not conceive it possible. But He lined up the cards and a second chance was put in place. Had to scrape and claw in order to get back to where I would have been much earlier, lots of work left to do. New hope, however, came into the picture and serves as a driver of forward progress.
Not without the reminder of consequences. Banged and dented up, but I’m in the game. I would say about the 8th round or so, with my opponent on the ropes some of the time. Gets tiring, but He refreshes my soul. Old hopes and dreams have been replaced by new ones, and I have a God who can be depended upon. And He wants that, my complete dependence; a daily prayerful request that He put and keep me on the right path, His. He is called a shepherd above, rightly put. The sheep need their shepherd, as they do not have the wisdom or intellect to protect themselves. Not down here in this place, where statistical probability alone would put us all in a crapshoot against poor odds. Random statistics, however, do not govern our fate if this God is truly who He says He is.
So another week is about to begin. I will ask that He energize and revitalize me to go out and make it a good one.
I hope you and I both have a good one.
