YOU ARE WITH ME ALWAYS
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Opening Prayer
Thank you, Lord, for the countless ways you let me know you are with me, for the many times you have shown me your love and faithfulness.
Read PSALM 23
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Psalm
Psalm 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
4 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.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Reflect
‘Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.’1
The greatest promise throughout the Bible is when God says, ‘I will be with you.’ Here, in this best-loved of all psalms, that truth is worked out in a range of situations that encompass a person’s journey through life. It seems a long way from a magnificent temple to a shepherd’s flock, but for those who look, God is in both—our Shepherd and our King.
In any life, there are moments of calm and quiet routine that we can use to our advantage. For many, though not all, these may derive from childhood and family, but for others, friendship provides what we need. Yet, for those who live by faith, no encounter is accidental, and God has his way of bringing us alongside those who help us to grow and who can refresh us. For these, we should be grateful—demanding times may lie ahead.
If we are to use the one life we have, we will want to find our direction and pursue it—not simply drift. To get anywhere on the right path may prove an uphill struggle, whether in the world of work or in making a home. We need the Lord’s guidance and his presence. Inevitably, there will be challenges, sometimes overwhelming, as we feel the surrounding darkness encroach. That is when, instead of turning our backs on God, we need to hold on, believing that the Lord’s presence is with us. His company and comfort enable us to trust and persevere. Throughout, we will experience his unexpected blessings. Surrounded by his love, we can believe that the best is yet to be. For, in the end, the Shepherd will bring us safely home, and that should give us hope, whatever we face today. Like David, we can say, ‘I lack nothing’ (v. 1).
Apply
Are there situations where you need to cling more tightly to God’s promise of his presence and provision?
Closing prayer
Thank you, Father. You are with me in every season of my life, providing everything I need; there is nothing I cannot face, nothing I cannot overcome.
1 Isa 55:6.
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