“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:1-3)
The iconic 23rd Psalm is known around the world. Even by those who don’t know its origin, it is cited and quoted.
What gives the Psalm its tranquil beauty and calming tone is how passive it is. The psalmist is doing nothing while God, the Shepherd, is doing everything. The sheep merely need to trust the Shepherd while He provides food, water, shelter, medical care, and protection.
The soothing effect of the psalm is directly proportional to the depth and strength of our faith.
Greater faith – greater peace. Lack of faith – lack of peace. The Shepherd is unchanging, but the sheep must decide how much they trust Him.
“Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:31-33)
Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites
This Week’s Reading: Deuteronomy 32-34; Joshua 1-6; Psalm 23; Proverbs 23 This year, #Biblebites are looking at lessons from the history of the Old Testament. Each week reads a section of history with a Psalm to meditate on and a dash of Proverbs to dwell upon. If you would like a copy of the reading schedule, you can view it here: https://eastlandchristians.org/news-events/2024-vision