Daily Reading: 4-14-16
Psalm 23 New Living Translation (NLT)
While he is going about his day to day vocational activity, David has an experience with the Lord. In his “aha” moment, David writes a song of wisdom about and to God. A light shines in his heart and he realizes God loves him and cares for him in very specific ways. David is a shepherd; through the lens of that responsibility, David experiences and understands the Lord as his Shepherd. God meets David and kindles a growing relationship with him by working through something familiar. God takes what is familiar to us; what we do understand and uses it to teach us more about Himself and His great longing for our hearts. God longs for communion—the sharing or exchange of familiar thoughts and feelings on a spiritual level.
A psalm of David.
1
The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
2
He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
3
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
4
Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
5
You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
6
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.
I treasure relationships and desire to pour wisdom into them any time I am prompted by the Spirit. If I were to categorize my life-long vocation, I would call myself a maternal spiritual guide. That declaration does not mean I have my life all together ! lol… It just means I daily offer my life to God in order to spiritually help His children. Most of you reading this post realize I have not always been an ordained and credentialed pastor of a local congregation (that has only been officially true about six years). However, if you have known me any time at all, you should recognize my heart’s desire to guide you toward spiritual communion with Father God.
God has always taken what I did understand about Him and spiritually guiding others, and used it to spiritually guide me to another level in understanding His great love. In my own “aha” moments, I sometimes pray this way, “I open my mouth, Lord, and I am preaching to myself! God you are teaching me as I guide others. This is another revelation of Your love and guidance for me!”
Although it is not eloquent or poetic like David’s 23rd psalm, here is my song of wisdom about and to God, today: “The Lord is my spiritual Guide; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in His love, He leads me in the ways of peace. He renews my strength to love others, and He guides me to discover wise paths bringing honor to His name. Even when I am struggling to hold onto faith, You come and help me cast out fear. You continually oversee, protect, and comfort me. There is always a feast of spiritual blessing set before me to capture my attention, so I barely notice the effects of the enemy. You honor me and offer me Your anointed power so I may bless others. You are Good and Your goodness will be with me always. I will seek communion with you on a day to day basis while in this earthly body. And, one day my spirit will join You to live in Your perfect glory.”
Dear friends, what is familiar to you? Look for God there. How is God using it to teach you more about Himself and His great longing to commune with your heart? Write your own song of wisdom about and to God.
Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for finding me in a place that is familiar before You take me to a new place of learning; a new place of communion. You are all that I need. You are my spiritual Rest, Peace, Strength, Wisdom, Protector, Comforter, Provider, Healer, and Eternal Lover. Your goodness and unfailing love pursues me. I welcome You, Lord; be with me today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.