Personalizing Scripture.
Some folks frown upon it. I’m not one of those.
Albeit, some passages of Scripture do not lend themselves to personalizing, but Psalm 23. That one I have taken personally.
And so this morning, I’d like to share with you my own personal personalizing of Psalm 23.
It is as follows:
You, O LORD GOD, are my Shepherd and because You are I lack nothing.
You provide for me. You provide rest and food. You nourish me.
You make sure I have what is needed for this life in the here and now and to Come.
You give me quiet water. Water – vital, essential water. Quiet, not rushing, not stagnant, not diseased but wholesome and quiet – just right for me.
You restore the inner me. The place where I really am. You guide me.
YOU. GUIDE. ME.
Oh, what a thought. YOU, GOD of the universe. YOU guide me.
You guide me in right paths. Not wrong turns. Not futile places. But RIGHT Places. Why?
Because You have character that You uphold. You are faithful and You prove faithful ALWAYS.
Your very Name is at stake with how You deal with me.
By Your very own character and Name, You assure that Your dealings with me are Who You Are.
Even in this, even when I come to death-threatening, dark, deep places You are with me. Even if I came to these places by unintentionally wandering off the path, You are still faithful to me.
And so I WILL fear no disaster in these places because YOU ARE WITH ME.
(oh help me truly WILL this.)
Your rod and staff reassure me. Your correction, Your Discipline, and Your refusal to leave me in sin reassures me that You really are MY Shepherd.
You prepare a table for me – a table, a place of nourishment, of communion, of strengthening, of fellowship — even as demons watch, even as those who do the will of demons watch. They watch while You take care of me!
They watch as you anoint my head to remove and heal my hurts, my bumps, and bruises, my thoughts, and things that would harm me.
They watch as YOU groom, tend, and mature me. So amazing!
Such knowledge overflows me. My cup is full – overflowingly full of YOUR goodness and faithfulness to ME.
Because of all Your goodness and Your grace to me, I will surely live in Your House, O LORD, for years to come – forever.
There is more. There is always more we could say about HIM and His goodness and grace and kindness – His watch care over us, His needy sheep!
Scripture.
I encourage you, where appropriate, to take it PERSONALLY.
Now, time scheduling and efficiency would tell me to save this post and schedule it for tomorrow (as I may not write again today, for tomorrow) but I’m not.
I’m not because frankly, I just don’t want to wait. I want you to have this today!
The White Stone 