The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anoinest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Psalm 23:1-6  KJV

This Psalm, which was written by David, describes the wonderful assurance and tranquility of a life lived in the LORD’s presence. We can choose to be in God’s presence or we can choose to stray. Perhaps like me, you have learned that like a sheep, when you stray from the shepherd things are not so good. This Psalm is often used at funerals, but it should be taught to our children at an early age so that they can recite it and remember it in tough times.

If we trust in God to lead and guide us, we can be assured that we will never want. Matthew 6:33 tells us that if we put our focus on God, that He will provide all that we need. Thee mere thought of green pastures and still waters give us a peaceful feeling. We are told in Philippians 4:7 that we can have a peace that passes all understanding. We can remain peaceful and calm when the world seems to be falling apart around us.

My dear friend and co-worker many years ago would say, “They are stealing my soul!” when we were really feeling the pressure from our jobs. The hustle and bustle and troubles of this world do sometimes feel as if they are literally eating away at our souls. Our souls can feel lost and hopeless when we are in bondage to our sin. But through the blood of Christ, we can be freed and the LORD can truly restore our souls. Just like an old rusted out vehicle that has been left to die in a pasture, God can clean us up and restore us completely.

Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us not to rely on our own understanding but to trust God with all our heart, to acknowledge Him in all that we do and He will direct our paths. He will lead us on the path of righteousness. He knows what our future holds, He will guide us in the way that we need to go. Psalm 91:11 says that God will give His angels charge over us to hold our hands so that we don’t stub our foot against a stone.

There is a new song out by Zach Williams and Dolly Parton entitled, There Was Jesus. It talks about how Jesus is with us no matter what we go through and one line of the song says, “In the Mountain and in the valley, there was Jesus.” No matter how low and dark and scary the valley is that we are going through, we have no reason to fear. Jesus is right there with us. He will protect us and comfort us. Psalm 91 gives us the assurance that God will protect us no matter what we face.

Jesus brings us redemption. My friend if it looks like your enemy is winning, wait for it. Verse 5 tells us that God prepares a table for us in the presence of our enemies. He anoints us and our cup runs over. We have all we need and then some. Trust in God to bring victory and redemption. In 2 Chronicles 20:15-17 God told Jehoshaphat not to be discouraged or afraid because of these vast armies coming against them. He told them that they didn’t need to fight this battle. They only needed to position themselves and see what the LORD was going to do for them. If you want to be assured of victory, give your battle over to the LORD.

And last, but certainly not least, David tells us that goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our life and we will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. We win.

My friend, no matter what you are facing today, know that God’s got your back. Know that He will provide all you need. Know that He will bring you to that peaceful place where your soul can find rest. God will give us peace, restoration, protection, redemption, and victory if we will only trust in Him and follow Him. His mercy and goodness will never depart from us and that’s forever, my friend.

If you’re life has become chaotic and your soul has become tired, trust in Jesus. If it feels as though your enemies are getting the best of you, trust in Jesus. He wants to bring you peace. He wants to restore your soul. He wants to protect you and redeem you. And He wants to fight your battles and give you victory. But know that he never forces His goodness and mercy upon you. You have to want it. You have to accept it. You have to turn to Him and trust in Him. He’s right there waiting and there is no time better than right now.

Have a great day!