"OH NO!" my sister screamed in a panic voiced, we were traveling on a road trip and in a frantic panic she was searching the middle section of our mini van for her "puffy." Puffy was her favorite stuffed animal that she slept with every night. In a second panic attack the whole car was searching for the animal. My parents had gotten off the highway and there we all were in a gas station parking lot tearing the car apart..to no avail. We ended up turning around and driving back to the hotel in search for her puffy, not finding it there - as the room had already been cleaned. My parents bought her a new "puffy" and we went on our way. Although my mind is fuzzy now, somehow or other we did end up finding her original puffy.
I am sure everyone has a story like this. My daughter wore the same shirt for 41 days straight when she was 2. We washed it at night and in the morning she stood by the dryer waiting for it to be done. I thought we would never transition beyond that shirt. But we did.
Shirts, blankets, stuff animals, whatever it is we all have our own security system. As Christians we find that security in our faith in God. We tactfully touch that security system through the Bible - especially favorite passages or two. But I would like to boldly proclaim that no passage does this better then Psalm 23. The Lord is My Shepherd. A powerful security for all of us. For those who have faith and follow in God's will prosperity and safety are ours. God isn't promising in this Psalm the Disney fairytale life - but is instead promising protection and love. God's staff with protect and comfort me ... all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever! Powerful words of comfort and peace.
Psalm 23 reminds us that life is well life and we will walk into the valley of death a time or three, but with our faith intake we will be able to walk out stronger and better. With Christ all things are possible. With God all things can be accomplished.
Let us use this Psalm as our own Security - security in faith - go to bed with the words and arise to the words and believe in them - knowing and trusting that the Lord is Your Shepherd.
