Are We Ready to Surrender To The Loving Arms of God?
Good Morning Friends,
The Bible does not always present things in sequential order. The Hebrew concept of time is more spiral than linear. The best of times and the worst of times can coexist next to each other like the paths of a labyrinth. The mystery of it is that we can follow the Shepherd as His goodness and love follows us. We can experience dark valleys and green pastures simultaneously. Today we explore the 23rd Psalm and its grace in tough times as we contemplate all that happens during the Passover. In today’s Psalm, one of the most beloved of all of them, we focus on the journey of Jesus the Lamb of God going to the cross. We have contemplated the disciples singing with Jesus the Songs of Ascent and they mirror, even like today’s Psalm, a bit of our journey of the church in holy history. They tell the story of how we too in our daily tasks are to walk. And it prompts me to think that this coming Holy Week is both the best and worst of times and I cannot help but wonder if we are willing to risk enough to experience the salvation of it. Are We Ready to Surrender To The Loving Arms of God?
Scripture: 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 right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff–they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD my whole life long.
Psalm 23:1-6 (NRSV)
Message: The key to understanding today’s Psalm begins with understanding the relationship between the Shepherd and His own sheep. Because a good shepherd will give His life…. because He restores our souls…because He calls us by name…because He leads us… we are to respond with obedience, trust, and a desire to be close so He can take care of us. Friends, the Good Shepherd has us covered when we are in a relationship with Him. The Shepherd goes with us through times of difficulty and stress to help us handle adversity. In His Alpha Omega promises we are secure. In His care our good memories of the past and our future anticipation of what is to come is available to us right now. Picture for a moment all the times you have heard and been comforted by Psalm 23, the beautiful Psalm of King David. It speaks to so many of life’s experiences and connects them. It is in some mysterious way a physical and spiritual example of the Word made flesh in the Son of David, Jesus and in our lives when we read it and are inspired by its words to comfort others. Perhaps here you might see that each day God has physical and spiritual promises for us to claim. We have the promises of His presence, protection, power, provision, purposes and leading…we have the promises of His rest, cleansing, goodness and faithfulness…we have the promises of his guidance and plan. Friends, in the coming of the Kingdom we have a part to play as sheep and as shepherds. In our daily journey with the Lord we are to find a glimpse of this place where heaven and earth embrace…where heaven’s doors open wide and the whole of earth becomes our temple…someday to be transformed and born again into the presence of the Lord forever as we get out of the pews and as saints go marching in into the loving arms of God.
Pray we experience, with confidence, the truth of God during times of difficulty. Pray we not want. Pray we not fear. Pray we dwell in the Lord. Pray we drink deep from our favorite cup. Pray it overflows with abundant grace. Pray the cup of salvation fill us with satisfaction and joy. Pray we be filled with the Holy Spirit. Pray that our walk of faith and the reality of life in relationship with the Shepherd bring a bit of heaven to earth. Pray that with each step we develop deeper awareness of the people of God in our lives. Pray we practice dependence on God’s Spirit as we as a community of people embrace God’s purposes. Pray we share the assurance of the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for the sheep. Pray we walk with Jesus, sail with Jesus, in the wind of the Spirit everywhere we go. Pray that though the Temple is no more, we find peace, faith and the glory of God, sanctity and safety, in the called out Assembly of God until His return. Pray the hearts of the children and parents turn to the love of Jesus are transformed. Pray that we would be guided by scripture. Pray that we would hear the Good Shepherd’s voice. Pray that He would know us and that we would follow Him. Pray that we would know each other’s love and respond to the Spirit’s nudge and hug.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 