Today, as I'm reading the familiar words of David as found in Psalm 23, I can't help but see his deep connection with God. At this point in his life, David was undoubtedly connected with God in a way that all of us should strive for. The peaceful serenity that comes out of this Psalm is amazing. David sees the Lord as his "shepherd"- one that guides and directs us in the way we should go. Even more remarkable is the fact that while David pens this great Psalm, he's in the middle of something bad. In verse 4 he tells us that while times are tough (he's walking through the valley of the shadow of death) he's not willing to be belittled and bewitched by fear. Why? God is with him.
How much easier would our lives be if we had such a deep connection with God? For those of us who know David's story and have read some of the other Psalms, we know that this wasn't always the case. For example, read Psalm 22, where David feels somewhat or even largely forgotten by God. Nonetheless, my guess is that when David was living in close connection with God, even the most harrowing of circumstances wouldn't have brought him down. Instead, the Good Shepherd would have led him through it. If you're feeling a little bit down and dragged by the drudgery of life, perhaps it's time to begin connecting with God in some new and perhaps some old ways. It wouldn't hurt to spend a few minutes in prayer this very moment, would it? Think on these things...
