This week we are diving into David's world. We are focusing on psalm 23. I know right? Everyone loves this psalm! When I first read psalm 23 I pictured David sitting in a spacious glorious field, lined with flowers from corner to corner. Watching sheep alongside a peaceful stream.
However the truth is that David wrote this psalm hiding in a dark cave, exiled from his very own people, with a death sentence dangling over his head. We don't know exactly what was filling David's mind while writing this psalm but we can see an obvious shift in his writing.
For the 1st time David uses the personal pronoun “I” and starts a conversation with his shepherd rather than speaking about the shepherd.
David reminds himself that he may face circumstances that leave him empty handed and life threatened, even death itself. However he reassures himself that he will never face anything alone.
When I started following Christ I really thought that my life would be a bed of roses. I was told that Jesus picked up the cross and carried it so I would never have to. No one actually told me in the beginning that God would ask me to pick up my cross and die daily as a pleasing sacrifice to Him. (Matthew 16:24) so when facing hurt and pain I felt left with two options.
1-change my belief system Or 2-change my circumstances.
Since I could do either of those options. I searched the Bible to see what Jesus had to say about it.
I was joyed to find that Jesus too, had faced suffering and loss. He was misunderstood, accused, and rejected, and when Jesus left the disciples lives were no better. God is aware that we are not fully capable of fighting battles on our own, so he sent Jesus, the good shepherd to lead us through life. Nobody understands the seasons of life better than Jesus himself.
So lets be like David and choose to say “even though my spirit is low, I know the Good Shepherd , and He knows me ! He will lead me and guide me through life's circumstances.”
Comments