Hi Folk
This lent has been busy for many of us with a mixture of good and bad. I know some who have experienced great joy during this time and others who have suffered tragic loss. Yet this one theme remains and occurs continuously throughout our lives whether during lent or any other time, whether in great joy or deep sorrow – “The Lord is my shepherd”.
Psalm 23 is well known to many of us – we can even recite some of the verses by heart – yet because of its familiarity we often loose the deep truths contained in it. Yet what David is saying in this Psalm is that God is with him always – whether it’s in green pastures with still waters or through the valley of the shadow of death. This is something that during this lent I would like each of us to experience – that God is with us.
Have you experienced great blessing and joy? God is with you. Have you experience deep sorrow and loss? God is with you. Are you facing trials and difficulties? God is with you. Have you messed up real bad? God is with you.
No matter who you are, where you have been or what you have done – God is with you! This is a truth that we need to cement deep in our spirits. God has promised never to leave us or forsake us (Heb 13:5), Jesus has said “I am with you always” (Mat 28:20) and so with these truths and these promises we are able to travel along life’s journeys through the valleys and through the mountain top experiences in the sure knowledge that Jesus is with us.
I don’t know what your journey may look like, what joys and what sorrows you may experience – but what I do know is that God is our shepherd and He wants to lead us and guide us. So can I encourage you this lent to keep going; to know that Jesus is the Good Shepherd and that He is with you, each step of the way – leading, comforting, protecting and guiding? He will lead us safely home!
Blessings
Harry