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Declaring and Deciding to Believe (Psalm 23)
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]I’ve been encountering a common theme over the past year or so, both in my life and in the life or our church. It’s the theme that life goes better when we allow God to call the shots. This is what our theme verse for the year is getting at, “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” (Proverbs16:9) [/perfectpullquote]
We can plan all we want but we need to take these plans to God and allow Him to “firm up” the ones that honor him, and are in line with His will and purpose and when we do that, we will find life. Not a life defined by our standards of success, but a life filled with the presence and provision of God.
While much of the focus of allowing God to have control has been task oriented. Psalm 23 is written to reassure our hearts with a message of hope that our hearts need to make the right decisions in difficult times. The Psalm starts with a statement that is both a declaration and a decision. It ends with a beautiful summary of what awaits those who follow through on that declaration.
Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” This, as David Guzik puts it, is both a declaration of who God is and a decision to not desire more than what he provides (Commentary on Psalm 23 found at blueletterbible.com). This statement sets up the poetic structure of the rest of the Chapter. Because of the statement made that God is the Good Shepherd, he is caring and concerned for us, we can read the following verses with this mindset.
Because God cares and is concerned for me I can…
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Verse 2: Trust that he knows what’s best for me. He knows what I need.
Verse 3: Trust that where he leads me will be for my restoration to Him and His glorification to the world.
Verse 4: Trust that despite the presence of danger around me that He will protect me.
Verse 5: Trust even in the midst of struggles, “Despite the dangers around me I can still enjoy the riches of God’s Presence.”
Verse 6: Trust that if I surrender my life to Him, I will reap a life lived in God’s presence, one filled with the goodness and the mercy of God.[/perfectpullquote]
Here is the struggle we all face. Despite knowing that a life with God in control is more beneficial for us; despite the reassurance this Psalm gives our heart in times of trouble; we still need our actions to match up with this truth in order to full experience the LIFE that comes from our lives being lived in His presence.
The next time you find yourself facing a situation where you question its purpose and outcome. Use this psalm to both declare and decide to believe that, “The Lord Is MY shepherd; I shall not want,” and trust that God will be with you through it all.
– Adam Deering
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