Remind Me...

Lately I've been thinking a lot about Psalm 23. Not intentionally really, it just keeps popping up in my mind, so I finally spent some time this morning reading and studying these familiar and yet powerful words:

The LORD is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I 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 have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Do I live out the Scriptures? Do I live out what I believe or do I express my faith with words alone rather actions? Words of course are important, but faith without actions is dead (James 2:17). Do I live my faith and not just speak of it? Do I live out the precious words above "I shall not want" "He restores my soul...For His name's sake" "I fear no evil, for You are with me" "My cup overflows" "Surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life"? I would love to say that I do, but so often I live in a state of always wanting more than I have, worrying or fearing what is to come and which kind of "evil" might be lurking around the corner waiting on me. How do I live out these beautiful promises? I believe it starts with understanding how great and good my LORD is. To take time to grasp that the God of the universe knows every intimate detail of my heart, He knows my failings and yet He loves me. He loves me! Do you realize how truly amazing that is? And not only does He love me, He wants to spend time with me, listen to me, interact with me, speak with me. How could I want more than that? I would definitely say with that knowledge my "cup is overflowing". So why don't I always feel like my cup is overflowing? Well first off faith is not a feeling, it is a choice that I have to make every day to believe in spite of my unbelief and in spite of not always feeling His presence with me. And I also try and fill up my cup with other things and I take my focus off of how great my God is and how He is the only One who can truly fill and overflow my cup. He is the only one who can fill the gaping hole inside of me. So today I will choose to let Him restore my soul, to overflow my cup and to acknowledge His greatness.

Thank You Jesus for my time with you this morning. Remind me of Your greatness, remind me of Your provision, of your goodness and lovingkindness. Remind me Father God. (Joshua 4:6&7)