Psalm 23
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.
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 prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Returning to the reflections of my day retreat, I began by focusing on Psalm 23. I wanted to paint something that reflected what I read there. These words really are beauty and familiar and comfort.
Even just re-reading these now - I can look at these special words and see things I need to hear and be reminded of.
... I shall not want
My material needs have been met so bountifully, but I admit that there are days, weeks even that this mama feels soul-nourishment-deprived. He will not leave me lacking, that is a promise I can bank on and rest in.
... rest, restoration, quiet
This is the first time I noticed that the words rest and restoration have the same beginning. There is wisdom there!
A short in length but meaty in content thought I wrote down that day is this:
"...do not live defeated; it is for His name's sake that He guides me in paths of righteousness."
Then I hit the word valley and realized I was at Glen Eyrie which means Valley of the Eagles' Nest. I will pursue where that headed tomorrow. Meanwhile, I am thankful for the promise that He is with me, that His tool of correction is a blessing and "comfort" to me and that I have all of eternity to look forward to in His presence.
