Out of the Overflow

Psalm 23

A psalm of David.

 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 darkest valley,
       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.


When I was a kid, the church we went to had a huge tapestry in the foyer.  Depicted on it was a pasture with nearly a hundred shades of green. Etched around the edges was this psalm of David.  Passing by this every Sunday morning, evening and Wednesday night numbed me to it's beauty and the power it's words have for life.  I can't say that I have ever heard a sermon preached on it. I don't think it was ever one of my required memory verses. I have recently come back to this neglected verse and it has become a source of strength for me.


God is always doing one better.  It is not enough for God that he provides physical nourishment with green pastures - he restores my soul. The journey he is taking me on wanders deeper than beside quiet waters - he guides me in paths of righteousness. The darkest evils are ignored when we realize his presence is greater, his rod and staff mightier and his comfort so assuring that we can feast at his table right in front of our enemies. When God anoints with oil...

He 

keeps 

pouring

and

pouring

and 

pouring. 

Abiding in him, love and goodness follow.


This is where I want to serve from.  What would happen in my family if I lived in the 23rd Psalm. How would the ministry God has given me be affected if it is out of the overflow of what he is doing in my life? If I were walking in paths of righteousness for HIS namesake instead of mine, what would look different?

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

~JK

Out of the Overflow

Hopping Fences

This morning I woke up and went for a bike ride. Miriam woke up crying and after I helped her go back to sleep, I realized that by being woken up by her, I had been granted a few moments where the house was quiet and I could have some time alone. Since Krista has been encouraging me to get a hobby and was pleased I was okay with one as active as bike-riding, I figured going for a little ride would be a good chance to focus my thoughts today. I really do love mornings and find that when I push myself to actually make the best of them, I am particularly contemplative.
I rode around our neighborhood (looking at googlemaps.com first so I wouldn't get lost) and created for myself a loop that I could complete in about 20 minutes. When I returned, everyone was still asleep and I realized, I had more time to spend with God. That's when I began my search for some type of devotional literature. I looked around the house and didn't find anything worthy so I turned my search online. I went to some of my favorite spots only to find that nothing was particularly inspiring. Then it hit me....I could read the Bible!

I don't know if it is just because I have been preoccupied with church stuff or home stuff but for some reason, it is often easier to turn to devotionals rather than the Bible for spiritual nourishment. This morning though, after my "aha!" moment, I turned to John 10. I think it may have been because I rode past this large field with a horse in it, I was thinking of a pasture that my thoughts were focusing on Jesus the Good Shepherd. Here is what John said to me,

"I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture."

While I do not think that reading devotionals will save me, I do think they will deepen my relationship with God. At those times when I am in need of pasture, I quickly go to my favorite authors in hopes that they will give me just what I need. This morning, it was just the Good Shepherd. he called me back to him by the sound of his voice. Entering through him brought me the salvation this morning I needed. He allows me to "come in and go out" and it is there that I find pasture. He knows the places where this sheep can be fed and where the best feeding place are at. Funny what happens when you try to enter the pasture through the gate instead of trying to hop over fences.

~JK

Hopping Fences