In the beginning GOD…Genesis 1:1

Really.

What if in the beginning of every day I acknowledged the loving, living, holy presence of GOD?

What if in the beginning of every decision I acknowledged the loving, living, holy presence of GOD?

What if in the beginning of every action and activity I acknowledged the loving, living, holy presence of GOD?

What if in the beginning of every interaction with another person–friend or foe–I acknowledged the loving, living, holy presence of GOD?

What if in the beginning of everything I ever thought, said or did–every where, every time, with everyone–I acknowledged the loving, living, holy presence of GOD?

How different would I be? How different would I act? How different would each of God’s children be–if all we did was acknowledge the truth that:

In the beginning GOD…Genesis 1:1

Really.

 In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

Part 9–We (and by we I mean I and my 3 blog readers!) have just spent 8 days of reading through the 23rd Psalm–a few verses at a time–and asking the LORD to show us what living the truth of His Word via the 23rd Psalm means each day. Whether it is a day of sadness, surprises or celebration. 

Read this 23rd Psalm yet again. Read it now in its entirety–listening for God’s living and active truth in His holy and eternal Word.

The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures,

He leads me beside quiet waters,

He restores my soul.

He guides 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 love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Take some time to listen to God, to breathe and be quiet.  And ask yourself honestly as you reflect on the words of this 23rd Psalm:

• Do you believe it?
• What are you going to do about it?

God’s Word is living and active. It is not meant to be merely read or heard. God’s Word is meant to be actively, intentionally lived out in our lives.

I encourage you (and me!) to Choose to Live it!–with all that you are and all that you do. Choose to Live it!–within all of your life and through all of your actions.

God is our LORD. God is our Shepherd. Choose to Live God’s Truth–Daily…All the Days of our Life!

 In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

Day 8 of reading through the 23rd Psalm–a few verses at a time–and asking the LORD to show me (us!) what living the truth of His Word via the 23rd Psalm means each day. Whether it is a day of sadness, surprises or celebration. 

…and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:6

Wow! A permanent address! I am a welcomed guest–a very beloved child–invited to take up permanent residence in my Abba’s house.

The Living God–my eternal LORD and Shepherd–calls me to dwell with Him forever. To guarantee my residential rights, my LORD and Shepherd has put His Living, Eternal Spirit within me now as both my eternal house key and my spiritual GPS–God’s Presence Secured–forever.

Home. My dwelling place is now and forever with My LORD and Shepherd. I have His Spirit living within me now–assuring me that I am His…and He is mine. And that He is my home. The Spirit of my LORD and Shepherd dwelling within me assures me that one day I will be fully home. I have the absolute promise that when I die to this world I will enter into the fullness of my LORD and Shepherd’s unveiled, perfect, beautiful and loving presence.

No more nomad life. (In spite of the 12 moves Tim and I have made since 1980–and 9 others I made pre-marriage, if you want to include apartments and dorms!) No more nomad life.

Read, again, today’s verse:

…and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:6

I have a home–a dwelling place–now and forever. And, in my LORD and Shepherd, this has been true ever since I first accepted Jesus as my Savior. 

Do you know your eternal dwelling place? Do you know how to get Home to Abba–to the LORD and Shepherd? Now and eternally?

Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me?”–John 14:6

You can accept His invitation now–to be His child, to set up residence with Him…and He with you now and forever. Acknowledge your need for a Savior. Acknowledge your need for the forgiveness of all of your sins. Acknowledge that you can not earn your way into Heaven as your Home with the Eternal God of all Creation.

He is the way. All of us need the blood of Jesus to mark our way Home. To mark us as God’s eternal children.

Invite Jesus to be your Savior. You will be welcomed Home by Him with love, forgiveness, freedom and joy! You will be given God’s Living, Eternal Spirit as your own eternal house key and spiritual GPS–God’s Presence Secured–forever.

Today is a good day to move. Tell someone about your decision to move in with Jesus–and have Him move in with you as your Savior, your LORD and your Shepherd.

As we each put our trust in the full, perfect and loving sacrifice of Jesus Christ–the Holy One, our dwelling place, our residence, our permanent, unchanging, eternal address is–and will always be in the house of our LORD and Shepherd forever!

It’s good to be home! I pray that we’ll be neighbors!

 In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

Day 7 of reading through the 23rd Psalm–a few verses at a time–and asking the LORD to show me (us!) what living the truth of His Word via the 23rd Psalm means each day. Whether it is a day of sadness, surprises or celebration. 

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life… Psalm 23:6

The perfect, passionate Goodness and the undeniable, unfailing Love of our LORD and Shepherd will follow us–literally pursue us–all of the days of our life. Can you even imagine this? Our LORD’s Goodness and Love–follows us, pursues us–attends to us.

When I am walking with my LORD and Shepherd, seeking to follow Him, yielding to His loving authority over my life, it is easy to know, see and sense His Goodness and Love following me…pursuing me…attending to me–even in the most challenging or sad circumstances.

When I am not walking with my LORD and Shepherd, not seeking to follow Him, not yielding to His loving authority over my life, it is so hard to know, see and sense His Goodness and Love following me…pursuing me…attending to me.

But! No matter what I may sense, our LORD’s Goodness and Love still are following me…pursuing me…attending to me! God never changes. It is I who has changed directions, not God!

And it is I who needs to turn around and run into the outstretched arms of my LORD and Shepherd. I need to know, see and sense my LORD and Shepherd’s perfect, passionate Goodness and His undeniable, unfailing Love–all the days of my life.

I need to view my life-walk from God’s perspective and trust in God’s unchanging truth: Goodness and Love follow me–all the days of my life.

And when I  do, it is then that I will know, see and sense His Goodness and Love–for myself–all the days of my life.

It is then that I choose to walk a life-path marked by the LORD’S Goodness and Love–living in me and working through me–to touch the lives of others.

May each of us choose to be a vessel of our LORD so that others, too, will clearly know, see and sense our LORD’s Goodness and Love–for themselves–all the days of their lives.

Because we all need the LORD. We all need His Goodness and Love.

Read, again, today’s verse:

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life… Psalm 23:6

Let’s take a walk! And let our whole life-walk be one where we know, see, sense AND share our LORD’s perfect, passionate Goodness and undeniable, unfailing Love following…pursuing…attending to us, to all of us–all the days of our lives!

 In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

Day 6 of reading through the 23rd Psalm–a few verses at a time–and asking the LORD to show me (us!) what living the truth of His Word via the 23rd Psalm means each day. Whether it is a day of sadness, surprises or celebration. 

You anoint my head with oil: my cup overflows. Psalm 23:5

The outrageous love and honor, the abundant overflowing blessings given by our LORD–our Shepherd–to me, to each of us, absolutely astounds and humbles me.

This is GOD–the LORD Almighty, the Holy One, the Creator of all that exists, this is the Alpha and the Omega–who is choosing to anoint my head (our heads) as His honored one.

It isn’t about me. It is not about me earning this anointing. And it is certainly not about me deserving this anointing.

This is all about our LORD–our Shepherd–who loves us and chooses to anoint each one who claims Him as LORD, Shepherd, Savior, King. And our LORD–our Shepherd–chooses to anoint each of His followers as His honored guest–His intimate friend–His beloved child.

Our LORD pours out His oil–His anointing Holy Spirit–over our heads, rubbing it in with His almighty hands that formed all of creation. Healing our minds, soothing our souls with the touch of His humble nail-scarred hands that reveal His unfailing, extravagant love and eternal salvation for each of us.

Being anointed by the LORD Most High as His honored one is amazing and more than I can fully grasp. But! Our God of lavishing love, grace and kindness does not stop there.

No. Our LORD and Shepherd–makes our cup–our life–to overflow. He Himself is the freely offered, abundantly flowing water of life that cleanses us, fills us, blesses us and wells up in us to overflow with God’s love and blessings into the lives of others. Our LORD chooses to pour them into our lives. And He wants each of us to choose to put our cup–our life–into His hands so that He may fill it–and us–with His blessings!

As our cup–our life–is held in the hands of our LORD and Shepherd (give Him your cup!!), He pours out His love, His life, His grace, His truth, His forgiveness, His freedom, His wisdom, His peace, His power…and on and on and on…into our lives.

These abundantly flowing, life transforming blessings are given by our LORD and Shepherd. By His loving choice. Again, not because we have earned these blessings and not because we deserve these blessings. This is all about our LORD.

And as we choose to let our LORD and Shepherd have our cup–our life–and fill us with His eternal blessings, our earthly life is completely transformed and filled to over-flowing right now with love and peace, hope and purpose.

 Read, again, today’s verse:

You anoint my head with oil: my cup overflows. Psalm 23:5

Be soothed. Be honored. Be anointed by our LORD and Shepherd.

Be blessed. Be refreshed. Be filled to overflowing–to bless the lives of others–by our LORD and Shepherd. 

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

Day 5 of reading through the 23rd Psalm–a few verses at a time–and asking the LORD to show me (us!) what living the truth of His Word via the 23rd Psalm means each day. Whether it is a day of sadness, surprises or celebration. 

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Psalm 23:5

I have to admit that I am getting more and more blown away by what our LORD–our Shepherd–does for me, for each of us, as we allow Him to have His rightful, loving authority over us.

Our LORD–our Shepherd–prepares a table, a banquet for us His people. The doors are thrown open and we are enthusiastically invited to the King’s table. His generous welcome, all the banqueting preparations and the abundant provisions are all for us.

Our LORD’s–our Shepherd’s–plans, preparations and provisions for us are not hindered in any way by anything our adversaries do nor by any adverse circumstances or situations we may be experiencing.

No. The intimate fellowship with our LORD and the magnificent feasting prepared by Him goes on just as planned right in the midst–right in the presence–of our enemies.

The enemies’ presence around us and the enemies’ persecution towards us do not hold the power to destroy or deter what our mighty LORD–our loving Shepherd–offers to us as we dine and commune with Him.

And I do know that just one of the many dishes that is abundantly offered at our LORD’s banqueting table is the Fruit of the Spirit. The components of this dish alone–Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)–fill our lives with power beyond our imagination–against which no enemy can stand. 

Our LORD–our Good Shepherd–Jesus Christ, when faced with the full-force of His enemy’s temptations and taunts, declared that we live, not on bread made by human hands alone–“but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)

Our LORD’s table, prepared for us, is where our LORD–our Shepherd–offers Himself to us in unimaginably intimate fellowship and lavishly provides us with His life-filling, life-transforming fare. No matter what state of affairs our life is in.

 Read, again, today’s verse:

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Psalm 23:5

Come to the table. The welcome is given. All is prepared. No enemy can stop us.

Come to the table prepared for each of us by our loving, almighty LORD and Shepherd. His provisions are unlimited. His plans never fail. His banquet never ends.

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

Day 4 of reading through the 23rd Psalm–a few verses at a time–and asking the LORD to show me (us!) what living the truth of His Word via the 23rd Psalm means each day. Whether it is a day of sadness, surprises or celebration. 

…Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4

My LORD’s rod and staff are means of bringing comfort to me??? How can that be? 

My personal idea of comfort usually involves a long walk–preferably by a river, a lake or an ocean, a time of quiet and prayer and a cup of coffee while eating my favorite comfort food–Smucker’s Natural (Reduced Fat) Peanut Butter mixed with Nestle’s Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips.

The LORD’s rod and staff aren’t usually the first things I run to for comfort.

Yet, here it is for me–for us–to read that the rod and staff of our LORD–our Shepherd–are meant to bring us comfort. Really?? Absolutely.

 The Shepherd’s rod and staff are used as signs and instruments of His authority and leadership over His sheep. Our LORD–our Shepherd–is both our King and our Leader.

Our Shepherd may use His rod and staff–to show His rightful, loving authority and leadership over our lives–in gentle ways–always for our protection, always out of His deep love for us:

• To show the way for us to go–His rod and staff an extension of His mighty arm–as He leads us. As He walks with us, staff in hand.
• To count us, our Shepherd would use His rod–He does not want even one of us to be missing or lost.
• To guide us to walk closely with Him and closer to each other–with a gentle tap from His rod or a gentle pull from the hook of His staff.
• To rescue us from a fall we may have inadvertently taken–the hook of His staff could pull us back to safety.

Our Shepherd may use His rod and staff–His rightful, loving authority and leadership over our lives–in strong and hard ways–always for our protection, always out of His deep love for us:

• To sharply, and sometimes painfully, hit us or pull us back with His rod and staff to show us that we are going the wrong way.
• To show us that we are in danger–and we must turn around immediately and follow our Shepherd closely.
• To correct our continual wandering away–the Shepherd may have to use His rod and staff to break our leg. Even this is out of His deep love for us. Our Shepherd would then pick us up, carry us on His shoulders to keep us close to Him as we heal, strengthen and learn to stay close to Him.
• To ward off our enemies–the wild animals, the thieves–our Shepherd fiercely fights for us, passionately defends us and completely defeats all who would harm and destroy us.

There is peace, provision and passionate protection when we stay near to our LORD–our Shepherd–our King and our Leader. And out of His great love for us and His holy authority and leadership, our LORD–our Shepherd–will use His rod and His staff to keep us close to Him. The very best place we could ever be.

Read, again, today’s verse:

…Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4

Yes, our LORD’s–our Shepherd’s–rod and staff are meant for our comfort.

And I’m thinking it would still probably be okay for me to take the LORD’s comfort–His loving and authoritative guidance, correction, discipline and protection–along with some peanut butter and chocolate chips.

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

Day 3 of reading through the 23rd Psalm–a few verses at a time–and asking the LORD to show me (us!) what living the truth of His Word via the 23rd Psalm means each day. Whether it is a day of sadness, surprises or celebration. 

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me… Psalm 23:4

This verse is so often tightly clung to during our most frighteningly, overwhelming times. 

Those times when we can no longer deny the truth of our own mortality or the mortality of someone we love deeply. We have received a diagnosis or suffered an injury that completely uncovers the truth (that has always been there), that we are frail, flawed and finite human beings. 

And so we are walking in the valley of the shadow of death.

The truth is that on this side of heaven that has always been true. We are mortal. And each of us will die–somehow, some way–some day. On this side of heaven we must face the unchanging truth that tragedy, loss and death do indeed come to us in this valley of the shadow of death.

Yet when we choose to walk with and follow our LORD–our Shepherd–His eternal unchanging truth, love, hope and peace changes us.

With our LORD–our Shepherd–there is no need to fear evil. There is no need to fear death. There is no need to fear that we are not prepared for or strong enough to make it through whatever we are facing.

Our LORD–our Shepherd–is with us. This is the unchanging truth that changes us. That changes our hearts, our minds, our spirits right on this side of heaven, even as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. This unchanging truth changes our present perspective and our eternal destiny. Our LORD–our Shepherd–is with us.

Read, again, today’s verse:

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me… Psalm 23:4

The valley of the shadow of death can not change the truth that our LORD–our Shepherd is with us. Yet as we choose to walk with Him–His truth, His love, His hope and His peace will change us.

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

Day 2 of reading through the 23rd Psalm–a few verses at a time–and asking the LORD to show me (us!) what living the truth of His Word via the 23rd Psalm means each day. Whether it is a day of sadness, surprises or celebration. 

The LORD guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Psalm 23:3b

This simple verse has so much meaning–so much truth, power and soul-refreshing intimacy and purpose. Let’s do the rap-thinng: Break it down!

Who: The LORD–our Shepherd –The LORD, the Holy One,  the Creator of heaven and earth–Creator of all that is seen and unseen–the Great One–(Think about Him! Wow!) enters into our world. The LORD who is beyond our full grasp of understanding, reaches out to us to intervene in our lives–our mortal, needy, frail, flawed and finite lives. And the LORD–our Shepherd comes to us with His unlimited, unfailing love!

What: guides me–How extravagantly intimate can the Holy One, the Sovereign LORD–our Shepherd–get with me–with us!! Our Shepherd walks with me–walks with us. Lives with me–lives with us. Our Shepherd desires to lead us, teach us, nuture us, guide us.

If I would take more time to think about WHO is actually guiding me–instead of asserting my independence (aka willfulness and stubborness) to determine my own direction–I should immediately respond with awe, humility and unending thankfulness.

If I would take more time to think about WHO is actually guiding me–I should continually seek the LORD–my Shepherd–to guide me every single day. Every single moment. With every single breath.

Where: in paths of righteousness–Our LORD–our Shepherd guides us (and passionately invites us, but does not force us) to walk on–live on–His holy ground–on His paths of righteousness. Yet too often I (we) choose to go our own way–and it isn’t pretty. On my own me-centered path–I am ego-focused–and, then, I lose my focus. I lose my way.

It is when I (we) choose to walk with our LORD on His paths of righteousness that we will receive the fullness of our LORD’s gifts of life, love, grace, truth, peace and purpose.

Why: for His name’s sake–Our LORD–our Shepherd–purposes for me–purposes for each of us–to know who He is–who He really is! Our LORD–our Shepherd purposes to reveal Himself and His love, His sovereignty, His power, His salvation, His intimacy to the world. To each precious individual ever born to this world.

And our LORD–our Shepherd–chooses to use us–as we choose to walk on His paths of righteousness–to reveal Himself to others.

What an amazing, humbling, outrageous intimacy we have been given by our LORD–our Shepherd who guides us!

What an amazing, humbling, outrageous purpose we have been given by our LORD–our Shepherd–to share His life-guiding, life-transforming love, grace, truth, righteousness, intimacy and purpose with others in our world!

Read, again, today’s verse:

The LORD guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Psalm 23:3b

Let’s take a walk on the Righteous Side with our LORD–our Shepherd!

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane

For the next few days I want to read–really read–the words of the 23rd Psalm–a few verses at a time. I want God to show me more of what living the truth of His Word via the 23rd Psalm means. You’re invited to come along with me as we let our LORD–our Shepherd lead.

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. Psalm 23:1-3a 

The words from the 23rd Psalm are some of the most familiar, best known words from all of the Bible. This Psalm is often read during times of deep crises in our lives or at the bedside of the sick and dying or later read at their funerals. The words are powerful and soul-refreshing. And they are true.

And these words are just as true, powerful and soul-refreshing during the routine times of our daily-day lives and during those sweet peaceful periods of time (that really do come!). And these words are meant to be read–and known–as true, powerful and soul-refreshing even during our most joyful times of celebration.

We always need our LORD–our Shepherd. Not just when we are aware of our great need. 

We always need LORD–our Shepherd to lead us. Not just when we are confused as to where we should go.

We always need LORD–our Shepherd to provide for us. Not just when we are insecure about our ability to provide for ourselves.

We always need LORD–our Shepherd to show us where and how to rest. Not just when we are burned out and worn down by life.

We always need LORD–our Shepherd to lead us to the quiet waters where He restores our souls. Not just when we realize that the flow of life and hope and peace in our inner most beings is dry and shriveled or bitter and rancid.

Read, again, those first few verses:

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. Psalm 23:1-3a

Our need for our LORD–our Shepherd never changes. HE never changes. But! He wants to change us with His true, powerful and soul-refreshing Word.

In love, peace and purposeful passion,                                                               Sylane