23 Psalm 23:1-3 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He leads me beside still waters.
3
He restores my soul.23 (ESV) English Standard Version
A child, a toddler may come into a room and see a Christmas tree surrounded by presents and ask the question "are these for me"? He is making a big assumption but at the same time he is not afraid to ask. You may not think of Psalm 23 as a Christmas psalm but in thinking of this example, verse 3 came to mind "He restores my soul". The restoring of our souls is much like bringing us back to a childlike faith, trusting, believing and being unafraid to ask that the gift, a gift is ours.
I am reminded of one of my favorite Steven Curtis Chapman songs "Still Listening", especially the following lines:
The years can take us far away from the simple child like faith
But I am longing to return to the place where I first learned
That God is great, and God is good
So, I will speak the words
God, our Father, once again I bow my head to pray
You are my Father and my Friend, and You hear every word I say
A prayer for forgiveness, a desperate cry for help
Or praise flowing from a thankful heart
Like each time before, I come knowing You're still listening
But I am longing to return to the place where I first learned
That God is great, and God is good
So, I will speak the words
God, our Father, once again I bow my head to pray
You are my Father and my Friend, and You hear every word I say
A prayer for forgiveness, a desperate cry for help
Or praise flowing from a thankful heart
Like each time before, I come knowing You're still listening
With all of the advertisements and commercialism of our society, it is easy to lose that childlike faith. It is easy not to think, let alone to ask, if that gift in the manger scene is actually for me? If we were to ask God that question today, we would find that He is still listening, and the answer would come back to us, perhaps even in that "still small voice" that we considered yesterday, "yes".
If we have become frazzled by all of the hustle and bustle this season, may we realize that the Lord is my Shepherd, and He can and will restore our souls.
In Christ,
Mike
Mike
Follow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace NIV
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace NIV
Psalm 23:1-4New King James Version (NKJV)
The Lord the Shepherd of His People
A Psalm of David.
The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.
4 Yea, 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.
The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name's sake.
4 Yea, 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.
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