#pslam 23

Really great song, I sing this in my head to remember the verse psalm 23.

Psalm 23->->

Valley of shadow

rugged path, evil abounds

echos of past sins

weigh down our steps, block out light

moans, groans, blood and tears

drain our tired and weary souls

we can't continue alone.

.

Psalm 23 – The Lord Is My Shepherd, I Shall Not Want for Anything

1The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:  He leadeth me beside the still waters.  3He restoreth my soul:  He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake.  4Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:  for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff[,] they comfort me.  5Thou preparest a table…

It's like standing in the shower after a run - feeling the water pouring down your body, washing away the dirt and running through your hair. Refreshing, cleansing, calming.

At the same time, it's like travelling to a new place; the excitement and anticipation of adventures to come, knowing that wonderful things will happen. Except you never have to come back - life with Him is one continual adventure full of joy and peace. Sometimes you may not see where He is leading you, but you know that He is the greatest guide and that whilst His paths seem narrow and untravelled, they are fulfilling and will meet the deepest desires of your heart.

His love is perfect, never ending, never self seeking. It is patient, kind, never jealous.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. 

Tonight I stopped by one of the local coffee shops to meet up and drop off something for a friend, and ended up waiting quite a while, and long enough to see my friend Dave, whom I drive to church on Sundays. 

I've mentioned him in a post before. He has a very unique story. But I didn't expect it to involve me. Tonight he invited me to his graduation celebration from the first tracks of his brain injury rehab program. He told me, "Even though you are painfully optimistic, you have been such a good influence. That's why I'm thanking you in my graduation speech and want you to be there." 

I was just stunned. I mean, I drive him back and forth to church on Sundays, which is out of my way since my apartment is actually within walking distance of church, but it is not a terrible inconvenience at all. I've been without my car here so long, I am happy to give people rides because I know how annoying it is to not have transportation. Dave and I talk on the way there, we sit together in church typically, and we talk on the way back. The average week, I only see him on Sundays for a couple hours. You think that you can't have that much of an influence by only seeing a person for just a little while on only some days.. but that's the thing: the Jesus in me can do more than I think I can do by myself.

The only good in me is from Him. And when I'm actually living like my life is from and for Him, things like this happen. And I'm just humbled that some naive optimistic girl (who sometimes has the worst answers or nothing to say towards some of the deepest of questions).. can still be used for good. 

I've been reading a lot about Psalm 23. The last part "Surely goodness and love will follow me all of the days of my life" I thought was always about how life is going to be awesome once you're a Christian.. or how heaven is going to be so fantastic. Yes, God lavishes his goodness and love on us. But does it follow us? Are we filled to the brim until we overflow and pour goodness and love onto other people around us? Or are we hogging it for ourselves? I really thought critically of my attitude and and my actions towards others. I wasn't particular mean (I'm Minnesota nice...mean is not exactly in my blood).. but my thoughts and actions can so often be preoccupied by my worries and my concerns. I felt I was hogging the goodness and love I was so abundantly given.  

Dave telling me this tonight, of my influence in his life, that I am a "bright spot" in his week made my heart break and made me realize that this verse holds true: "As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:10) Even with the mere ounces of goodness and love that trickle out of me, even they will yield what God intended them to. But it definitely makes me want to share more than just ounces. 

People, what pours out of you has influence. And more than you may know.