Devotionals from the Writings are published on the third day of the week (Tuesday). In the original canon to which Yeshua often refers when speaking of the Scriptures, the Writings consists of the third major section of the Bible. The Writings include the books of Psalms, Job, Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and the Chronicles. Proverbs is also part of this section of the Scriptures, however, we reserve the fourth day of the week (Wednesday) for a special look at this very practical, yet spiritual book.
When Lack Is Gain
A psalm of David:
Adonai is my shepherd; I lack nothing.
He has me lie down in grassy pastures,
He leads me by quiet water,
He restores my inner person.
He guides me in right paths
For the sake of his own name.
Even if I pass through deathdark ravines,
I will fear no disaster; for you are with me;
Your rod and staff reassure me.
You prepare a table for me,
Even as my enemies watch;
You anoint my head with oil
From an overflowing cup.
Goodness and grace will pursue me every day of my life;
And I will live in the house of Adonai
For years and years to come.
Tehillim (Psalms) 23
King David’s Tehillim 23 rests on a single premise: “Adonai is my
shepherd”. There are two dimensions of this relationship, though. On one hand,
“Adonai is my shepherd” whether we choose to be shepherded or not. It is our
choice to stray or stay. But the flip side is this: to receive the benefits of
his shepherdship, we must allow ourselves to be led, fully submitted, listening
only to the sound of his voice.
Once we enter into this relationship fully and it ceases to be onesided
(with God constantly pursuing us as we go our own way), the immediate result is
complete fulfillment“I lack nothing.”
Often we confuse this to mean that by lacking nothing we are supposed to no
longer experience the effects of life, trials and struggles. Truly, in lacking
nothing, we have rest, serenity, restoration of our inner person, and
guidanceand these things are given to us for Heaven’s sake. Why? Because
there will be “deathdark ravines,” there will be “disaster,”
yet because in Adonai we “lack nothing,” we have access to the continual
presence of the Shepherd whom we need to make it through those “deathdark”
times. We have no fear because we see our Shepherd’s rod and staff before us,
and we rest assured: He is here.
Under the care of our Shepherd, “goodness and grace will pursue [us] every
day” of our lives. We will not be without troubles, so our prayer should be
that we will not be without God. To live today in the eternal rest of Yeshua is
the abundant life that we are called to live. Submitting every thought, every
word, every action to the Lord brings total peaceeven in the face of adversity
and troubles. In Yeshua we gain the greatest possession: a total lack... of
nothing.
P R A Y E R
Adonai, Father, lead me, restore me, guide meI receive you anew today as my
Shepherd: the one voice to which I will listen. Forgive me for trying to find
your peace, comfort, and direction by going my own wayonly in your presence
will you prepare a table for me, even in the sight of my enemies. Thank you, O
God, for the eternal rest that I am able to have in you today, right now. I
praise you, Adonai, for the assurance you bring as you go before me, leading me,
guiding me, showing me your perfect way....