Psalm 23:4-6

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.” vs. 6

Not every day is filled with green pastures and still waters! No matter how carefully we walk the paths of righteousness, sooner or later we’re going to enter the valley of the shadow of death, and it’s going to be scary. And guess what, our Shepherd Lord plunges into the darkness right alongside us. In those moments we’ll need more than gentle nudges, and the Shepherd’s rod and staff will be both our guide and our comfort. And when we’ve moved through the last of the valleys one day there’ll be time for reconciliation and feasting. At that banqueting table even our enemies will be present. Think of it! All those folks who we’ve scorned and vilified–all those people who have unfriended us on Facebook–everyone will be there. And in their presence our heads will be anointed with oil, and our cups will overflow. That’s what life with our Shepherd Lord is like. No one is left out and no one is excluded. No wonder this psalm has touched hearts in such deep and profound ways. From the beginning to the end, through every chapter and crisis of life, the Lord is with us. And more than that we are assured that goodness and mercy will follow us every step of the way, and the end is really the beginning. We will live in the house of the Lord forever.

Thought for the Day: How have I experienced the truth of this psalm?