Wednesday 9 Oct 2013

Wednesday Reading: Psalm 23:1-6

Key Verse: Psalm 23:3
3  He restores my soul;…

Devotion:
I have seen this psalm written in many places but the places where it has more of an affect is where it is written in a dire surrounding. Seeing it written on a wall in a ruined town after a war or seeing it written on a soldiers helmet are two that spring to mind whenever I read this psalm. God is the God of all comfort!

When we get down or feel alone, this should be one of the passages that springs to mind and strengthens us. I know situations surround us and we get really depressed or find it hard to see any comfort in anything, but when we rest in Christ’s arms we will find that we have not considered Him and that is why we feel alone! God is always with us, just like a good shepherd will always keep an eye on the sheep and will go that extra mile to ensure that they are safe at all times; but when a sheep starts to panic because they cannot see the shepherd they bleat and moan like anything!

Just like that, we tend to bleat and moan when we think that God is not with us. Just because we have not looked up to see if God is there does not mean that he is not there! Just because we have our eyes closed does not mean that He cannot see us! When we sit down and read a few verses from His Word each day we can learn just how much He is with us by the comfort, peace, wisdom and love that He shares with us through His Word. I know there have been many times when I have felt really down and I have not read my bible because I have thought that I ‘just could not face it’… That is exactly the time when we do need to stop everything and pick up God’s Word and read it!

If a person facing death can gain strength from the words of this psalm then imagine what we could gain from all of God’s Word if only we took some of it in. If we continue to remain with our eyes and hearts closed to God, then how are we ever going to accept all the love that He wants to share with us? In order the receive the gifts from God we have to accept them; and that may well mean going to Him to find out what He has for us rather than waiting for the knock on the door!

Points to Ponder:
Do you struggle alone?

Or do you reach out to God?