Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Devotion 3.22.17

Peace - Psalm 23

We come to the funeral of someone we've known, a member of the family, a friend, a co-worker, or a friend of a friend, and we hear the traditional psalm read.  "The LORD is my shepherd...."  From that, we associate the psalm with death and comfort for those who mourn.

Yet, there is a power to the "23rd Psalm" that extends to life, for our God is our shepherd throughout our lives.  Hear the words in David's psalm and consider your daily life and the comfort it brings:

"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures.  He leads me beside still waters.  He restores my soul.  He leads me in paths of righteousness for his names sake.  Even 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." (1 - 4)

God is with us.  God watches over us.  God restores us.  Knowing He is with us gives us comfort that He protects us and strengthens us, even when our lives confront the evil in this world.  "The Message" says it this way, "God is my shepherd! I don't need a thing... True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction." What do we have to fear?  God is with us, and Christ tells us this, "I am the good shepherd.  I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father.  I lay down my life for the sheep." (John 10:11 - 12)

So, it is true that God is with us as we live our lives here on earth, and that in the end, Christ laid His life down for us, so that, as David says, "Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever." (6)

Our lives are lives of peace, reconciled by our shepherd, who gave his life so that we may have eternal life.  Christ is with us every day throughout our lives for us to turn to for that peace we have in knowing Him. 

Hope Men's Ministry

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