He is my Shepherd

The other day I realized that I have known one particular verse pretty much my whole life. Psalms 23:1  The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. I recall being very small and being able to quote this verse with my mom and in  Sunday school. This verse has been planted and embedded in my heart and mind for a long time. It popped up the other day in my mind as I was thinking and praying about some concerns and then again a little later on my Bible app as the verse of the day. I realized that God was reminding me that He is a good Shepherd that cares for His sheep.

The Hebrew for this verse is Jehovah Rohi. This literally means "The Lord our Shepherd." It means that God is a caring God who takes care of us and our needs. He provides and protects. That is what a good Shepherd does for His sheep. He doesn't leave them alone and in need. He is there tending the sheep and watching over them.

I needed to be reminded about how much He cares for me and all of us that day. We sometimes get so focused on life and the problems, we forget to rest in the knowledge that He is a good Shepherd watching over us in loving care and concern. He knows well what we need and what is best for us.  In Matthew 6:8 Jesus said,
Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
This tells us He is already aware and is working on our behalf. We don't need to worry, we only need to trust Him.

Why do we need to know the scriptures and verses such as these? These verses help me when I need to remember what God has promised and remember who He is.  I need to know that His word speaks about my needs and even my desires. There are promises in His Word meant for all of us. Reading His word reveals these promises and learning them keeps them hid in our heart to rely on and sustain us when we need encouragement and strength. We can recall these verses and find life abundant to keep moving forward and keep growing faith in Him.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Psalms 119:11 KJV

My parents taught me scriptures early on. They planted a love for God's word and made sure I could find my strength in the Word of God.  As a tiny child I knew The Lord is my shepherd. I have never forgotten this verse. It still brings  peace and comfort some 40 plus years later. It is the Word that sustains and builds my faith.  I can still rely on God's promises.  I find there is no other joy or comfort like God's  word.  I am grateful I have Him to turn to in all situations, good and bad. Plant the Word and hide it in your hearts and your children's hearts.  Give them and yourself the best source for life that there ever will be.

run the race with faith

I enjoy reading. I especially enjoy reading the Bible. The Word of God often reveals things about God and challenges the reader to be better and move closer to God.  Yesterday, as I read Hebrews chapter  12, the first verse kept my attention.

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Hebrews 12:1 KJV

The eleventh chapter had just listed heroes of faith, ordinary men and women whom had displayed faith in God during extraordinary circumstances. Here in the very next chapter we are immediately called to recognize the great groups of witnesses surrounding us, the men and women who are the examples of faith who can attest to what God did, can, and will do. We can read their life stories. But I also thought about the witnesses of our walk with God. We have people all around us that will witness our lives as we walk in faith.  We need to be aware that we can look at those who have gone before and strive to live a faith-filled life as they did and at the same time, be an example of faith to those around us.

The second part of that verse tells us that we need to lay aside the weights and sin that holds us back and works to destroy our faith. We cannot run this race of faith carrying around weights and permitting sin to be in our hearts.  These things will cripple our ability to be a faithful example.  When we hold on to those things, such as anxiety, depression, self-doubt, fear, addiction, bitterness, and so on, we cannot run for very long and our endurance is no longer there. We are weighed down and bogged down with life's frustration and cares. We have to lay all this down so we can really run in faith.

Paul knew this. He knew that this would not be easy, but he gave us a key to help us  in verse two.

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2 KJV

We only need to look at Jesus. He endured the cross for us. He offers us life. He can help us lay aside the weights and forgives the sin. He changes our lives so we can run.  He is the author and the finisher of our faith.  He will keep working on us so we can endure and finish this race, not just barely make it, but with endurance and victory. He will take the weights for us. He said,
"For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" In Matthew 11:30 KJV. He takes our heavy burdens so we can run freely and gives us a light burden instead. We can become an example of what faith in God can do.

I encourage each of us to look at the examples, the witnesses of faith we have laid out in scripture and around us to see what God can do, then be one of those examples of faith to those who need to see what faith in action. Lay down the weights and sin and run the race that is before you. Run with faith and be a witness to someone else.

linger just a little while

We often get very busy in this life. We have so many things to do with jobs, family, and activities. We stay busy and may even feel like we will never get it all done.  Busy, busy, busy. But, do we get so busy doing all the things we do, that important moments are rushed and may even be forgotten?  I purposely schedule time to pray and read my Bible every day. I find this is extremely valuable to my sense of well being and to my spiritual growth and wellness.   However, I have realized that at times, I even rush through the time I have scheduled.  I get distracted and hurry because all the other things waiting for my attention.
 
The other day, as I was praying, I felt like God was asking me to just wait or linger just a while longer in my prayer time; to take time to just be there and to just linger in Him.  It felt so peaceful and I could feel His love just holding on.  It is so hard to move on from those moments.  Too often, we are so hurried we forget to linger just a moment and soak in the good.

Wait on the Lord : be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord .
Psalms 27:14 KJV

There are times that the presence of the Holy Spirit is so sweet and almost tangible. I love to be in those moments.  But, in my rush to my business, I may forget to just wait on Him.

This goes for many moments in life. There are times we may need to just linger a little longer. Maybe linger just a bit in conversation with someone who needs to talk, or maybe linger a bit longer in that sweet hug from your child.  Linger a little longer as you see a sunset or witness something good.  Soak in these moments. These moments strengthen relationships and strengthen faith. These moments build up courage to go on. These moments let others know we care. These moments of lingering may be the times we can really hear God speak to us with clarity.

Jesus told  his disciples to go and wait in Jerusalem for the Comforter after his resurrection. They went and waited in the upper room.

 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
Luke 24:49 KJV

We see later in Acts that the Holy Spirit was poured out on them and they began to speak boldly. Through the preaching of Peter on that day, 3,000 souls were added to the church. This outpouring came through waiting.

We need to take time to wait and linger just a little longer to hear from God and to experience what He has for us. We need to wait on His promises. We need to linger in His presence to find strength and encouragement. We need to linger a little longer in His word to learn and understand Him more. We need to take time to linger in the moments that are important and with the people who are important. Some of the other stuff will wait and may not be as pressing as we think.  May we stay and wait just a little longer with the Lord who made us, saved us and loves us more that we even understand. He is more important than all those chores and jobs claiming our time anyway.  Wait on the Lord.

rend my heart

Sometimes a word or a verse really grabs my attention.   This verse in Joel, and in particular, the word 'rend' captured my thoughts and attention.

Therefore also now, saith the Lord , turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:  And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
Joel 2:12‭-‬13 KJV

According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, rend means 1. To remove from place by violence: wrest,  2. To split or tear apart in pieces by violence, 3. To tear as a sign of anger, grief, or despair.

As I think about the context that Joel was writing these words I relate the lack of holiness and sinful state in which Israel had been found to where our current society, even the church itself can be found.

Joel was calling Israel to repent from the idol worship and the outright sinful state they had turned into. Israel had completely rebelled and turned away from God. God was so displeased, he allowed the natural consequences to transpire, sent other nations against Israel hoping they would realize that they were not doing the right things. He hoped that Israel would turn from the wickedness. He sent prophets to warn them and call them back to Him. Israel ignored the prophets. Israel suffered great consequences before they finally turned their hearts back to the God Almighty that had waited  and loved them deeply.  It was the hearts that were not committed, not in a position to love God.  They loved themselves, the pleasures of the world and the easy things. There had a hardening of their hearts to the things of God.  They were allowing sin to reign and had accepted this as a lifestyle.  Does this sound familiar?

Today, we are seeing consequences of a people wno have turned from God. We have a sinful, violent society  with no one willing to take the blame.  We see violence and lifestyles all around us and even in churches that reflect a love of self and pleasures rather than a love for God and His righteousness.  Many make excuses and set aside righteousness. We set aside the things of God and we do not take it serious as we begin to hear a call to turn back to Him.

Thankfully, God is slow to anger, full of grace and mercy. He is kind.  But he is calling His people to awaken.  The church needs to rend it's heart. The people of God need to rend their hearts; break their hearts for the sinful state we find around us.  We cannot stand idly by and make excuses for what is happening around us.  We need to turn our hearts to God, seek Him and let our hearts be broken for what is breaking the heart of God.  It is not His will for the suffering brought about by sin. It is not His will to see violence overtake us. It is His will to save souls and change lives for the better.   He wants to use His people, but we must be willing to be used.  He needs His people to follow after His heart. Our hearts need to be in tune with His heart. We are mistaken to think God does not see our sin. We are mistaken to think God does not want to help the lost and suffering. We are mistaken to think God does not love the hurting and even those that do the hurt. We, as the church, need to rend or tear our hearts apart to get to a place that we can feel compassion and be moved by those around us.  Are we concerned for the souls around us? Do we notice the world suffering around us enough to pray, to seek God on behalf of those that don't know God? Do we reach for the lost and dying? Do  we fast and pray with fervancy because we truly believe that God is the answer for the pain around us?  Have we allowed our hearts to be moved by the things that move God? Have we become numb and unwilling to move with the heart of God because we are too worried about our pleasure and status? Has the church become too bogged down in distraction to actually be the hands and feet of God?

May we arise from the slumber and the slow lull of sin that has blinded us, hardened our hearts and distracted us from the true purpose of the body of Christ. I pray that my heart be broken. I pray that I turn my heart, all my heart, to the work and service to which God is calling me. Are we willing to fully commit ourselves to Him and His purpose to see a change in our world?

  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Hebrews 11:6 KJV

This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
Psalms 24:6 KJV

As Joel wrote, let us seek the heart of God with prayer and fasting.  Let us mourn for the things that go against God. Let us seek to please the Lord and in doing so, bring about a spiritual change in our lives and in our communities. Rend our hearts, Lord. I rend my heart for you.