What You Thought You Knew About Walking with God

Scripture: Psalm 23

Key Verse: Psalm 23:4

Well, Positive People, this is the last entry for this series. I hope that you have enjoyed having some alternative ways of looking at some commonly quoted verses. However, God wouldn’t allow me to end this series without referencing Psalm 23. These verses had me shook, for lack of better words, so I think it’s a good idea if we go through them one by one.

Verse one is reassurance that God is the one who leads us and provides for us. It’s a cut and dry yet personal statement. It puts God in one of the lowest positions as a shepherd, which shows his humbleness. Shepherds watch over and care for their flock without ever questioning it. They are willing to put themselves in harm’s way if it means that their flock is protected. However, this verse isn’t just about who God is. It showcases how we should respond because if the Lord is our shepherd that means that we are supposed to be sheep. Sheep follow their leader because, if they are left alone, they will ultimately harm themselves. (Sounds familiar right?)

Verse two allows us to see that God will give us rest during our journey, and it will be peaceful. He won’t just take us anywhere to rest. Green pastures are a sign that the land is thriving. So, God will take us to land that is doing well, so that we can also do well. As sheep we don’t always know when it is time to rest or where the best places are to get nutrients, so we must allow God to show us.

Verse three is comforting because the word restore equates returning something to its original purity. God isn’t just walking with us just for the sake of walking with us, but He wants us to be pure and more like Him. He will give us a new start if we go astray, but only if we let Him do His work. He wants to get the glory for our success and wellbeing, after all, He guided us to the original field to thrive in and showed us the paths to walk down. I think it should be alright to give Him just a little credit.

Verse four is where it gets personal. There is a switch from the impersonal “he” to “you” in the text showing that by this point in our journey we are dealing with something more intense that only the shepherd can handle. Isn’t it amazing that we get closer to God when the issues of life seem closer? It’s not even that death is actually present it’s just a shadow, and, if there is a shadow, that means that light is being cast onto darkness. We are surrounded by evil and sin on earth, so it is only possible for us to walk among the problems and disasters. But we can’t be afraid of the world because God dwells in it also. He is prepared to both discipline and lead the flock. So, if God has to come to us prepared, what makes us think that we don’t have to go into the world prepared to deal with whatever is coming our way. We can’t expect to lead people to Christ if we don’t have the tools we need to do so. We also have to remember that the valley isn’t a destination because we are only passing through, but, while we are down there, we have to serve as a light for those who have decided to call it home.

Verse five allows us to see that God can change our situation Himself. Notice that this verse says that He prepares the table for us. It doesn’t say we sit at that table or boast at that table because that is the way it is often used. God allows our enemies to see how He is blessing us, but then he wants us to keep moving. He shows us this in verse six by saying that this goodness and mercy will follow us for the rest of our lives. These blessings aren’t just for show they are there as long as we allow God to put them there, but we can’t lose sight of the end goal, which is to be with Him in heaven.

Prayer: Lord thank you for walking with me and showing me the way. Thank you for covering me and allowing no hurt, harm, or danger to be in my midst. Lord, I pray that as I go on this journey that I recognize you as the great shepherd that is everything to me. Lord, I love you. I thank you. I praise you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.