He Restores My Soul!


        Today is the 23rd of October. Ever since I was a child I have enjoyed reading through a Psalm for each day of the month. I always loved getting to Psalm 23. I know it is a popular one that a lot of people know. But how many honestly experience the peace in in this amazing Psalm.

"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even when 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 anoint me head with oil; my cup overflows. Surly goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

         How many of us stop and let God restore our souls? This life can be so exhausting with illness, loss and just keeping up with life. But the Psalmist is painting a picture of a Shepherd with his flock of sheep. The sheep want for nothing, they fear for nothing, and He leads them in a way that is suitable for them. The simplicity is beautiful in comparison with the chaos of the American lifestyle. But how much of the chaos is self inflicted? Do we stop and ask the Good Shepherd to provide for our needs, to guide us in the way He wants us to go, to take away our fears and give us a Spirit of courage and to instill a grateful spirit within us?

       Think of the impact this Psalm could have on people if they daily asked God for these things to restore their dry and weary souls! It would be amazing! In a flock of sheep if you have one that starts to panic and worry, there is a ripple effect on the whole flock. The same goes for Christians, our attitudes and outlooks are contagious. If we are walking by faith, daily laying our burdens, wants, needs, at the feet of our Shepherd, He will restore us! Then the people around us will see the difference and want that kind of peace that ONLY Christ can give.

       The last verse in this Psalm is one of great hope "That we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever".  Whatever we may face here on earth will someday be over and done with. That we have a place of eternal peace waiting for us when the time comes. There is a much bigger picture presented here, that sometimes we forget. We just see the trials in front of us ('the valley of the shadow of death') and fail to see this is just a stepping stone in the path that leads to life ('Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever').

      Daily trust in the Shepherd and He will lead in you the paths of righteousness and give you peace.