Mind Meld of A Different Kind

PSALM 23
A psalm of David.
The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.

He lets me rest in green meadows;

he leads me beside peaceful streams.

He renews my strength.

He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.

Even when I walk through the darkest valley,

I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.

Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.

You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.

You honor me by anointing my head with oil.

My cup overflows with blessings.

Surely your goodness and unfailing love

will pursue me all the days of my life,

and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.

Old Faithful
If you go to Yellowstone National Park the Park Ranger can give you a schedule for Old Faithful. The geyser is just about as predictable as your watch. We all have things and people in life we know we can always depend on. And we all have our favorite passages of Scripture we turn to when we face trouble.

Psalm 23 is one of those oldies but goodies for many of us. Our Bible is worn thin with underlining and highlighting from the many times we have turned to this Psalm for comfort. There is something beautiful about Psalm 23 that speaks to our every need. God’s provision in the face of calamity; knowing God is victorious even over death itself; the comfort of a loving shepherd; the promise of love, all speak to our basic longing for God.

The danger with old faithful is that we become immune to its beauty. Like park rangers who have grown tired of answering questions about a geyser we can skim over the words of Psalm 23 without taking notice of their rich promises. Instead, we must cherish their beauty and truth as if we were reading them for the first time. Our favorite Scriptures need not become old even though they remain faithful in ministering to our needs time after time.

My Shepherd, I praise you for leading me to places of rest and nourishment in life. I find great comfort in the familiar words of the Bible and you never disappoint me when I spend time in your presence. - Dan Jones

Great nourishment, lousy location
I like eating at restaurants that have offer special ambiance. For example, there’s nothing like the Rainforest Café. And nobody does international ambiance quite like Disney in Epcot. In contrast, my favorite breakfast place is a plain local diner where the waitresses call everyone “honey” and remember their regular customer’s usual order.

Most of my meals, however, are eaten at home. Nothing special. Just the ordinary kitchen or dining room. Truth is, these meals are as nutritious, if not more so, than restaurant meals surrounded by ambiance. Best of all, they are much cheaper!
I am glad that the spiritual feeding God offers doesn’t depend on fancy ambiance! Some of the most spiritually nutritious experiences don’t happen surrounded my stained glass and really nice music. These soul feeding experiences happen in ordinary and risk-filled places; places symbolized by fields with snakes in the grass.

Feasting in the presence of enemies refers to sheep grazing in fields where snakes make their home. The shepherd will place oil on the sheep’s head that acts as a repellent, allowing the sheep to graze safely in the presence of snakes!

There is spiritual nutrition available to me in the most dangerous environments! Messy people, hurtful events, stressful seasons, all offer circumstances in which God can feed me.

Thanks Good Shepherd for your ability to provide the spiritual nourishment in any context. Help me to be open to every meal you offer, especially those you have prepared in what seem to be unlikely places. - Mike