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 name's 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.
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 forever. (English Standard Version)
Many scholars believe that King David wrote Psalm 23 at the end of his reign and after a lifetime of both hardships and blessings. This Psalm is arguably one of the most well known and visited of all the Psalms. Perhaps its value comes from the fact that it is a man talking about an authentic and personal place that he got to in his walk with the Lord. This place was that the Lord was his Shepherd, no matter the situation. It was God who made him lie in green pastures; it was God who led him beside still waters; it was God who restored his soul; and so on.
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Realising that God was with us, in both the hard and easy times, helps us know that He has everything in His hands.
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As we look back on our lives, we can reflect on how God has been with us through great times and challenging times. We can reflect on how events that we did not like turned out to be the very catalyst that allowed for God’s blessing.
It is good to look forward and see where God is taking us. It is also important to look back and see that God has been faithful in the journey so far. Realising that God was with us, in both the hard and easy times, helps us know that He has everything in His hands.
Although a new season at Church can be unnerving and even a little scary, it is also in Jesus’ hands.
He is the faithful Shepherd who is building up His Church. In years to come, we will look back at this season and time in our Church history and see that the Lord was faithful to lead us beside still waters and gently restore our souls.
Let us take time to reflect on the wisdom that David obtained through his lifetime - that the Lord is my/your Shepherd and that the Lord is in complete control.
Samuel Louwrens
It is good to look forward and see where God is taking us. It is also important to look back and see that God has been faithful in the journey so far. Realising that God was with us, in both the hard and easy times, helps us know that He has everything in His hands.
Although a new season at Church can be unnerving and even a little scary, it is also in Jesus’ hands.
He is the faithful Shepherd who is building up His Church. In years to come, we will look back at this season and time in our Church history and see that the Lord was faithful to lead us beside still waters and gently restore our souls.
Let us take time to reflect on the wisdom that David obtained through his lifetime - that the Lord is my/your Shepherd and that the Lord is in complete control.
Samuel Louwrens
