Reflections on Psalm 23 -- guilt & shame
You restore my soul
I've been needing balm lately -- struggling with guilt and shame. Thought I'd share my meditations on Psalm 23 for your encouragement.
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
God, you guide me and are in charge of me, and you provide everything that my family and I need.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
God, being with you is lovely. Let me rest in your presence, and seek you out more.
3 he refreshes my soul.
God, you give me rest and restoration — not just the minimum I need, but deep down. I need your deep restoration today, Lord.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
God, you are the one who directs my decisions, and leads my choices and the circumstances of my life. Remind me of this when I second-guess my decisions and dwell on everything I have done wrong.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
God, my life is really hard some times — but you do not abandon me. Please Lord, I need your courage.
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
God, even your discipline and correction are good — make me teachable, please.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
God, even when I’m faced with hardship and opposition, you are there blessing me. Please let me see blessing in the face of hardship.
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.
God, this is the best promise — help me to live today in the confidence of the good that I know is coming.
THROUGH THE ROOF
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"Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on." (Mark 2:3-4)
About: This is a blog about accessibility, intimacy, and community. About being welcome. It’s also about bringing up The Boy. He's 11 years old and has cerebral palsy. Also popping up are The TeenGirl, who just turned 13, and The Mom, who is awesome. It's written by The Dad. It's my words, my view. Other people will think differently and have different opinions. Good.