What brings you comfort in the face of terror and tragedy? For centuries, God’s people have found comfort in today’s text, one of the most beloved psalms.
Psalm 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
3 He refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely Your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
詩篇23
1（大衛的詩。）耶和華是我的牧者，我必不致缺乏。
2祂使我躺臥在青草地上，領我在可安歇的水邊。
3祂使我的靈魂甦醒，為自己的名引導我走義路。
4我雖然行過死蔭的幽谷，也不怕遭害，因為你與我同在；你的杖，你的竿，都安慰我。
5在我敵人面前，你為我擺設筵席；你用油膏了我的頭，使我的福杯滿溢。
6我一生一世必有恩惠慈愛隨著我；我且要住在耶和華的殿中，直到永遠。
One scholar observes that the phrase, “You are with me,” is in the middle of this poem. There are exactly 26 Hebrew words before and after “You are with me”. Perhaps the psalmist wants to tell us that when God being with us is the very center of our life, we have true comfort and consolation.
When God being with us is at the very center of our life,
o we have all we need, and desires no longer control us (v1-3a).
o we live in a godly way that brings glory to God (3b)
o we do not fear evil even if we face the creeping laugh of death (v4,5)
o we have the assurance of an eternal home where we can enjoy God’s goodness and love forever (v6).
“God with us” is the message of the Gospel. “Immanuel”, God with us, is the name of Jesus Christ – God the Incarnate (Matt 1:23; John 1:14). Before He died on the cross, Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to help the believers and to be with them forever (John 14:6). After He was raised from the dead, Jesus gave the disciples the Great Commission and promised that He would be with them to the end of the age (Matt 28:18-20). Today, God is with His people through the Holy Spirit. The Spirit assures us that we are children of God (Romans 8:15-16). The Spirit helps us to pray when we are weak. “We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” (Romans 8:26b)
How, then, do we experience “God with us” as the center of our life?
First, “God with us” can be our experience because of the grace of God. It is God who takes the initiative. It is a priceless gift from God. Nothing we do can earn us this gift (Eph 2:8-9). Jesus Christ has paid the price on the cross.
Yet, we need to get ready to receive the gift.
For those who have never received the gift of Jesus Christ, remember that God desires to set you free from the bondage of sin. Confess your sins before God, acknowledge that only Jesus can cleanse your sin and save you, live as the Spirit guides you, and trust that God will be with you all your life.
For us who are Christians, it means spring cleaning and making a sacred space for the holy God. It means exposing the dark corners of our hearts and lives by confessing our sins to at least one other person. It means clearing out the clutters - those habits, tendencies, routines, relationships… that are not immoral in themselves but consume us so completely that we no longer have desire, space, or time for our Lord.
Are you ready for God to be with you?
Let’s pray,
Spirit of God, thank You for the assurance that we are the sheep of Your pasture and children of God! Search me, cleanse me, and guide me so that my heart can be a sacred space for You to dwell, as I walk through the earth to my eternal home. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
No comments:
Post a Comment