Today’s scripture: Psalm 23 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Melody Merida):
For this Be Still and Know I’d like to share with you a piece of writing that has proven to be a tremendous gift to me. In his book Sometimes an Unknown Path: 40 Psalm-Prayers in Contemporary Voice, author Jerry Webber manages to speak the Psalms in a way that provides soul nourishment where it is most needed. Here is his writing on the 23rd Psalm:
Psalm 23 Prayer
A psalm of sure presence
Lord, You are a Shepherd to me,
protecting, guiding,
so that I need attach myself to no-thing and no-one else.
I rest safe in the abundance of Your sure love,
wombed in the safety of Your canopy,
renewed as living waters wash over me.
Even when the Way seems treacherous to me,
on every narrow precipice,
you set my feet on solid ground,
true to Your Rock-solid nature.
And when I walk through the darkness of death,
I will not fear the shadow.
I trust that even then — especially then —
You are closer to me than my next breath,
comforting, sustaining, shaping me every step of the Way.
You give me everything I need to feast on life,
bread and wine that my foes know nothing about;
Your oil poured over me
a visible sign of Your choosing,
Your cup poured out before me
a visible sign of Your passion offered to me.
Your generosity and sure love hound me
throughout life.
And Your heart will be my home
from now and for all time.
Amen.
Thought for the day: Think of a time in your life when you have experienced the sure presence of God. Reflect on the difference God’s presence made in that specific situation. In prayer, give thanks for the awareness of God’s presence through that difficulty and pray for faith to trust in that same presence in the unknown future.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.