The 23rd Psalm, The LORD is My Shepherd

 

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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,
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.

This popular psalm, and one of my favorites, tells us a lot about God.

God provides. God protects. God shelters and restores. God leads. God is with him who trusts in Him. God comforts. God nourishes. God is fair and just. God vindicates. God makes us holy. God blesses abundantly. God is good. God is loving. God is eternal. With God is everlasting life.  

In my humble opinion, Psalm 23 is a great one to memorize and meditate on to ease anxious minds. Also, copying it down in your favorite translation will help slow your racing thoughts and redirect your mind to the Father who loves you and is always with you.

 

 

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Lord, Our Shepherd

 

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The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. Psalm 23:1, NIV

He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. Micah 5:4, NIV

He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. Isaiah 40:11, ESV

Even to your old age I will be the same, And even to your graying years I will carry you! I have done it, and I will bear you; And I will carry you and I will save you. Isaiah 46:4, NASB

As a shepherd seeks out his flock when some of his sheep have been scattered abroad, so will I seek out my sheep; and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. Ezekiel 34:12, RSV 

I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep. Ezekiel 34:15, ESV 

I am the good shepherd. John 10:11, NLT 

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me. John 10:14, ESV

Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus—the great Shepherd of the sheep—through the blood of the everlasting covenant, equip you with everything good to do his will, working in us what is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20-21, CSB

Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls. 1 Peter 2:25, NLT

And when the chief Shepherd is manifested you will obtain the unfading crown of glory. 1 Peter 5:4, RSV

  

   

Anxious for Nothing

Good advice from Max Lucado:

Anxiety is an out of control thought pattern. It settles over the mind like a severe weather system, spewing  thunderclouds and casting lightning bolts. Life feels like an airplane in a tailspin. It feeds on what-ifs and worst case scenarios. Don’t give in... Take a deep breath and then… 

1. Pray about it. At the first hint of an anxious thought, Take the thought captive. Don’t tolerate the devil, not  even for a second. Lasso the anxious thought with a word of prayer. Lord, there is an intruder at the door! Please  take over! 

2. Identify the culprit. Generalities are not permitted. None of this: “I’m worried.” Get specific: Lord, I’m worried  about the layoffs at work. Now, that’s better. But even more detailed: I’m worried that I will lose my job. Will I be  able to find more work? Will we have to move? Specificity disarms anxiety. 

3. Take a reality check. Is this a legitimate concern? Or is this a vague, ill-defined, rumor-fed possibility? They say  layoffs are inevitable. Who are they? 

4. Take an action step. Assuming the concern is legitimate, what can you do? Make a list of two or three steps  you can Resist the urge to try to solve everything immediately. 

5. Ask: “Can God solve this?” Is this challenge within his skill set? Is he overwhelmed by this setback? Are the  angels pounding on the door of heaven trying to convince him to come out of hiding? Is he resisting? I can’t handle this challenge It is too great. I don’t know what to do! I’m stumped, stuck, and stalled out.

No… I don’t think so either. God is never baffled or belittled. Take the problem to him. 

Reflect on this verse: “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in  judgment, You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from Me,  says the Lord” (Isaiah 54:17). 

And, pray it through:  

Lord, 

Thank you that “before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely” (Psalm 139:4). Thank you  that there are no surprises with you. Help me find deep comfort in the fact that you are unshockable and  nothing is too great, too terrible, too large, or too heavy for you. Help me see the problems that I face  today in light of how big you are. Amen.

                

© Max Lucado (adapted from Anxious for Nothing, Thomas Nelson, 2017)

When We Have No Strength

 

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  

Psalm 46:1

 

“Are we oppressed by troubles? Have we work to do and enemies to grapple with? God is our strength, to bear us up under our burdens, to fit us for all our services and sufferings; he will by his grace put strength into us, and on him we may stay ourselves. Are we in distress? He is a help, to do all that for us which we need…whatever it is, he is a very present help; we cannot desire a better help, nor shall ever find the like in any creature.”

--Matthew Henry

An Invitation

"Come to terms with God and be at peace; in this way good will come to you. Receive instruction from his mouth, and place his sayings in your heart. If you return to the Almighty, you will be renewed....Then you will delight in the Almighty and lift up your face to God. You will pray to him and he will hear you." 

Job 22:21-23;26-27, CSB

Pause for a moment. Read these words slowly. Then read them again.

They aren’t just lines on a page—they are an invitation. An invitation to real peace. An invitation to renewal. An invitation to live in such close fellowship with God that prayer becomes not just speaking, but also knowing He hears.

When we receive His Word deep into our hearts—when we align our minds, souls, and lives with Him—we find what the world can never offer.

This is peace that lasts.
This is life that overflows.

 

 

 

Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

 

Stop, Think, Pray.

 

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Genesis 37:5
“Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more.” (ESV)

Joseph’s story reminds us that even good things—like God-given dreams—can stir up tension when shared at the wrong time or in the wrong way. His brothers were already jealous, and his words only deepened their resentment.

Before we speak, especially to people who may already be upset with us, prayer can be a guard for both our heart and our tongue. Taking that pause not only helps calm our own anxiety, but it can prevent us from adding fuel to a fire. Some things are better kept between us and God until the right moment comes.

Considering how our words may land on others is part of living out the Golden Rule: “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 7:12, NLT)

When we pause, pray, and choose words with care, life becomes less chaotic and our relationships can grow stronger. God is trustworthy.

Psalm 9:10: Those who know your Name will trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You. (NIV84)

Proverbs 21:23:  Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble. (ESV)

Seven Steps to Better Self Discipline

Found a wonderful article for developing self-discipline--something I've been struggling with lately. I especially like this sentence: "Self-discipline, from a biblical perspective, is more than a means to achieve personal success—it’s an opportunity to honor God, grow spiritually, and fulfill the purposes He has for our lives." From wisdomonline.org: Click here for complete article.

From My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers

 This portion of today's daily devotional, My Utmost for His Highest, hit me this morning. Maybe it's meant for someone else today as well:

The moment you realize that God's purpose is to get you into the right relationship with Himself and then with others, He will reach to the very limits of the universe to help you take the right road.

Nothing is more important in your life and my life than abiding in a close, loving relationship with our Father and Lord, Jesus Christ, and then with others. He wants that for us. Without Him, we can do nothing.

Marking the Moment When God Shows Up

“Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.’ And he was afraid and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.’”

—Genesis 28:16–17, ESV

When Jacob woke from his dream, he realized—for the first time—that he had been in the presence of the LORD. And he was afraid. Maybe in that moment, it finally hit him: God was real. Not only that, He was here. In the ordinary place Jacob had chosen to rest. “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.”

God’s presence transformed that space. What was just a patch of ground with a stone for a pillow became holy. Jacob responded with awe. He poured oil on the stone and set it up as a pillar, marking the spot. Then he gave it a new name: Bethel—“house of God.” He knew something sacred had happened. He knew the encounter was real.

“There is no place where God is not, and we will know this as we learn to pay attention.” Hearing God Through the Year, Dallas Willard. InterVarsity Press, 2004

Application:
When God unexpectedly shows up in our lives, we should pause and take notice. Yes, God is always with us, but when He makes Himself known in a distinct or personal way, we’re invited to respond with reverence, wonder, and worship. Those moments are worth marking.

I remember experiencing one of those moments on a warm day in February 2007. I was out in my backyard with my camera, but I wasn't finding much that was picture-worthy. At first, I was disappointed, but after a while, I paused, looked up to the sky, and simply thanked God for His creation and for the birds He'd brought to my backyard in the past. 

As I stood there, gazing upward, something unexpected happened.

Over the bare treetops, tiny flashes of gold began to appear, shimmering like little pots of treasure moving toward me. As they drew closer, I realized they weren’t gold at all but the soft, glowing bellies of birds. They swept in and landed right in front of me, filling my leafless sycamore tree. They were cedar waxwings! I recognized them from the pictures in my birdwatching book. I'd never seen them in real life.

I laughed out loud and praised God while taking pictures of them, tears of joy in my eyes. God had brought me cedar waxwings! 

Like Jacob, I realized that God had made Himself known to me in a most ordinary place — my own backyard. It was a reminder that He is always near, often closer than we realize, waiting for us to look up and see. I marked that moment with worship and pictures. I've posted one of those pictures at the top of this blog post.

When Hope Becomes Joy

 

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Genesis 21:2-3;6: And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.”

God not only predicted the birth of Abraham’s son—He gave the exact timing and told Abraham what the child’s name would be: Isaac.

“And Sarah conceived…” “…whom Sarah bore him…” God seems to be emphasizing that this child came from Sarah—not from Hagar or any servant. This was no ordinary birth. It was a miracle. Sarah was 90, and Abraham was 100 (Genesis 17:17). There was no natural way this could happen. It was fully the work of God.

Isaac means “he laughs.” Both Abraham and Sarah had laughed when they first heard God’s promise that they would have a son. Their laughter began in disbelief, but now—oh, what joy! After twenty-five years of waiting, at the perfect time, God’s promise was fulfilled. And with it came happiness and laughter.

Application:
Sometimes we go through long seasons of waiting, hardship, or sorrow while we cling to a promise. But nothing is impossible for God. When He moves, when He comes through, there will be laughter and joy where there was once only doubt and despair. 

So don't give up. Keep praying. Keep seeking the kingdom of God. Keep following Jesus, knowing that you can look to the future with hope and faith, trusting that God is who He says He is and that He will do what He says He will do.

 

Scripture from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

God in the Darkness

I read Psalm 88 this morning during my devotional time with the Lord. In it, the psalmist feels like he’s sitting in the depths of the pit—“in the regions dark and deep”—because of God’s wrath. Yet, even in that place of sorrow, he doesn’t turn away from God. Instead, he cries out to Him, prays, and pours out his heart.

In fact, he begins by declaring, “O LORD, God of my salvation.” Even in despair, he acknowledges that God is still his salvation.

That struck me—God is showing us that in our darkest moments, we are not meant to turn away from Him. Even if we suffer under His discipline or feel overwhelmed by life, we can still cry out to Him for mercy. We can repent and pray, drawing closer to God, not farther away. And He will come to save.

Sometimes, we must sit in darkness. But even then, God is our light.

I love Micah 7:8, and I often quoted it to myself during a season of depression and panic:

“Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me.”

Verse 9 continues:

“I will bear the indignation of the LORD because I have sinned against Him, until He pleads my cause and executes judgment for me. He will bring me out to the light; I shall look upon His vindication.”

This gives us hope. We don’t despair during such times—we hold on to the God who loves us and promises to lift us up.

1 Peter 5:10 offers this comfort:

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast.”

I pray this encourages you today, just as it has encouraged me. God will restore and strengthen us—if we do not lose heart. Keep trusting in Him. Keep praying.

To God be the power and the glory forever and ever.

Amen.

Candle image from Pexels.com 

Quotes from Psalm 88 and Micah 7 are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

1 Peter 5:10 is from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

How King David Handled Fear in Psalm 55

 

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David, a man after God's own heart, still experienced moments of panic and fear. In Psalm 55, he felt overwhelmed by his circumstances despite having the anointing of the Holy Spirit. This is a powerful reminder that experiencing fear and anxiety isn't a sin. It's what we do with those emotions that matters.

David didn’t hide his feelings or pretend they weren’t there. Instead, he took them directly to the Lord. He poured out his heart, expressing his fears and anxieties, and leaned on God for help.

“Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice.” (Psalm 55:17)

David’s words here suggest that he didn’t just pray once and then expect everything to be fine. He prayed continuously, every time panic gripped him. This wasn’t a one-time prayer when the weight of fear was too much to bear (Psalm 55:6-8). No, David took his complaints to the Lord repeatedly, and we should do the same.

When I face fear, I pray the verses that speak to my anxiety that I’ve written on 3x5 index cards—the same ones I posted on this blog years ago. Sometimes I experience peace after praying just one verse. Sometimes I have to pray through them all before I feel a release of my fear and an increase in my faith. Sometimes I have to pray them several times a day. It depends on the circumstances. Like David, we can take our fearful thoughts to God as often as necessary—morning, noon, and night—knowing He hears us every time.

David reminds us in Psalm 55:22:

“Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.”

God promises that He will not allow our faith to be shaken. He will sustain us—even when we feel like we’re in panic mode.

But here’s the key: we must ask Him for help. We need to humbly come before God, just as 1 Peter 5:6-7 urges us:

“Humble yourselves…casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

When fear arises, don't hold back—bring it to the Lord. He is always ready to listen, sustain, and care for you.

Scriptures from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

From Panic to Peace on Patsy Clairmont’s Blog

 Author and former Women of Faith speaker, Patsy Clairmont, has a free download, From Panic to Peace: 10 Steps to Soothe Your Soul—a checklist of steps to follow when having a panic attack. You can find it here.

She mentions singing hymns as a means of refocusing your thoughts. I found that reading Scriptures that reminded me that God is with me, sees me, and would help me worked better than singing hymns, which I’d tried when first experiencing panic. I felt more empowered through Scripture.