The Delights of Psalm 23 s30e8

I started today with the thoughts of duties and demands of Ps 23.  But I did not end there.  I concluded with the DELIGHTS of Ps 23.

Join me for 7 minutes and take the journey of delight with me! Subscribe for another one tomorrow. 

https://youtu.be/1DyvPVcf5WI

Transcript

The Delights of Psalm 23 s30e8

I started this as more of What does the Lord call us to.  I didn’t end there, I ended with what does the Lord give us?

 The Lord is my shepherd; Proclaim Him as Shepherd. This is a concept, a picture all thru the bible.  Please Him by addressing Him as Shepherd. Know Him. Be a sheep. Be a good sheep.  Know you are a sheep. Act like a sheep which is to know you are not the shepherd.

I shall not want. Set yourself in contentment. Want only what He wants for you. Do not desire what He doesn’t want for you.  Know that His desires are best

2        He makes me lie down in green pastures. .Let Him find that place for you. Liable. Green. Pastoral. To know Him is to rest in Him.

       He leads me beside still waters. .You know that the waters do sometimes broil and the waves can o’erwhelm. He leads. We can follow Him. He has places to rest in Him that are green.  And still.

3        He restores my soul. .This is about the absolute center of your being.  If you cut off your finger, your soul is still embodied.  This is the eternal center that longs for heaven.  This is where you cry out in desire for a better country, and where you know you desire the country that is on your passport.  This spiritual center can take a beating here on this planet.  If you are in need of renovation, repair and renewal, you’ve come to the right place in Ps 23.  You’ve come to the right Shepherd.  The right soul refirbisher.

       He leads me in paths of righteousness f

for his name’s sake. .It would be against His character to have those who characterize themselves as of this Shepherd to walk any path that does not reflect His character. It is His desire and His call to have you be led on a path that reveals his charms of His character. At the end of the day His name increases and yours decreases.

4    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 know this world has plenty of evil and fallenness in it. You’ve been to a funeral. You’ve been to a hospital.  You’ve been to the valley of the shadow of death. Yet, You will fear not. Yet, you will not trepidate the evil before you. How can this possibly be? 

FOR You God, are with me.  Ah this is the great mystery of the attention and the incarnation of our dear Lord. He comes.  He called.  He attends those whom He Elects. 

And He comes with Big sticks.  The Shepherd does not come unarmed. He repels those who are not of His flock.  He repulses those who offend His flock.  And too, The Shepherd does not come unequipped for shepherding His sheep. He offers correction, rebuke, teaching and training for those who would receive it.

5    You prepare a table before me 

in the presence of my enemies; 

       you anoint my head with oil; 

my cup overflows. . Here He allows enemies to get close enough to see the Table prepared for you.  There will be those invited, but not yet received, who see this table prepared.  It is prepared, in a sense, for the believer and FOR THE NOT-yet believer. Perhaps the soon to be believer.  The good Lord shows His opponents His creation, His common graces, and here, His table that is for His children. There heads are anointed as testimony. cups overflow as witness to those who are not in the family.  This is the great surprise of Psalm 23.

6    Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me 

all the days of my life, 

       and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord

forever. .For the days of this life, and for the days of the next life, You get the relentless contact of a God you don’t deserve.  He is holy beyond measure.  You are not holy by any measure.  He makes you holy by association with His Son.  He makes you holy by substitution.  He makes you holy by mis-wounding His Son.  This gives you access for the days of this life and all the days to come after your heart stops beating; You are welcome into the house of the Lord now.  You are welcome into the house of the Lord on the day of your demise.  You are promised a residence eternally.  You are to be addressed identically with the Lord eternally.

.Friends, this is the call of and gift of Ps 23.  These are the demands and delights. Enjoy Him today. Thank you Lord.