Psalm Friday
Psalm 23, continued
* Pray. Ask God to give you an open heart and mind to learn new truths from His Word. Read Psalm 23 through three times. Record any thoughts or questions you have in your journal. If a verse stands out to you, write it on an index card and begin committing it to memory.Psalm 23, continued
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;”
Psalm 23:6a, NKJV
Great importance has been placed on the diligent care of the shepherd for his sheep throughout Psalm 23. As we come to the end of this beautiful Psalm, I believe David has summed up for us the main idea of the entire Psalm in one statement, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” David is boasting in his God because no matter what may happen around him, he has total confidence in the Shepherd who will lead him through.
What about us? How many of us can say that no matter what may come our way- a lost job, a wayward child, a bad report from our doctor, an ailing parent, an empty bank account, bare cupboards, _____________ (you fill in the blank)- how many of us can say with complete confidence that goodness and mercy are sure to follow?
These are the times when the rubber meets the road; these are the times when one’s trust in God’s care for His children is tested; these are the times when faith is tested. When the world around us seems to be closing in can we say with complete confidence and trust in God that “surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life”?
As I sit today and think back over my life to those valleys of death I traveled through, to those times when I've lived in the very presence of the enemy who desired to destroy me- I can say to you, that YES, goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my life. Those valleys that I thought would never let me out of their pits and those enemies who had a tight grip on my life, could do nothing to me because my Shepherd had a much bigger plan for me; He had a different path for me to travel, a path that would lead me up the mountain to sit at the table He had prepared for me to enjoy.
Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, my Good Shepherd IS goodness and mercy. His mercy and goodness and compassion for His sheep are new every morning. My friend, know this today- the Good Shepherd will follow you through the valley, He be with you in the fire, He will close the mouths of the lions, He will calm the storms around you, He will lead you to His land of promises for His name’s sake. Why? Because He is the Good Shepherd who gives His life for His sheep and He is all about goodness and mercy.
What about us? How many of us can say that no matter what may come our way- a lost job, a wayward child, a bad report from our doctor, an ailing parent, an empty bank account, bare cupboards, _____________ (you fill in the blank)- how many of us can say with complete confidence that goodness and mercy are sure to follow?
These are the times when the rubber meets the road; these are the times when one’s trust in God’s care for His children is tested; these are the times when faith is tested. When the world around us seems to be closing in can we say with complete confidence and trust in God that “surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life”?
As I sit today and think back over my life to those valleys of death I traveled through, to those times when I've lived in the very presence of the enemy who desired to destroy me- I can say to you, that YES, goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my life. Those valleys that I thought would never let me out of their pits and those enemies who had a tight grip on my life, could do nothing to me because my Shepherd had a much bigger plan for me; He had a different path for me to travel, a path that would lead me up the mountain to sit at the table He had prepared for me to enjoy.
Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, my Good Shepherd IS goodness and mercy. His mercy and goodness and compassion for His sheep are new every morning. My friend, know this today- the Good Shepherd will follow you through the valley, He be with you in the fire, He will close the mouths of the lions, He will calm the storms around you, He will lead you to His land of promises for His name’s sake. Why? Because He is the Good Shepherd who gives His life for His sheep and He is all about goodness and mercy.
2 Lovely Thoughts Shared:
Awesome! Thanks so much for this bit of light and hope and inspiration to praise the King!
Jen I needed this so much today! I was having an anxiety day and WOW how God works, Thank you for the reminder. Thank you God for my friend Jenifer!
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