Things I’ve Learned Thursday (TILT #016)
Psalm 23 is such a great psalm. Recently, my mom gave me a bracelet that I wore as a young kid and it has part of Psalm 23 written on it. But, there’s something about Psalm 23 that’s not always obvious when you first read it. I want to read through it and I want you to take note of how it is God who is the one doing all the things to and for King David. It is not David doing these things for himself. David is not the provider of his own needs. It is God who is ultimately making things happen. This is Psalm 23 from the New King James Version. And I have bolded and emphasized all the places where God does something for David. It says:
The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
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.
Lets’ just look at verse 2 as an example. It says “He makes me to lie down in green pastures.” Different Bible interpretations say He “lets me” or He “causes me to lie down in green pastures.” So, if you’re like me, maybe you carve out some time for yourself on the weekend and you say, “I’m going to relax today and just chill out.” And sometimes it doesn’t go that way. Sometimes even a planned day of rest doesn’t turn out to be restful. And I have learned, and continue to learn each day, that it is God Himself that will cause us to rest. And that rest is available to us at all times. It’s rest for our souls; rest from anxiety and worry and stress. It’s not just for weekends. It’s a way of life; a way of being; a way of leaning into God and really resting in Him. We can even be working hard at something and still be in a state of restfulness and peace.
So, I encourage you to meditate on Psalm 23. Consider how much of the good that happens to us is from Him; Him allowing it, Him delivering it, Him causing it, simply because He loves us.
And on that note…
Don’t forget God today!
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