Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living from Wordaction of The Global Church of the Nazarene Publishing House in Kansas City, Missouri, United States "Unafraid of the Dark" by Lori Miller for Tuesday, 14 February 2017 with Scripture: Psalm 23:1-6

Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living from Wordaction of The Global Church of the Nazarene Publishing House in Kansas City, Missouri, United States "Unafraid of the Dark" by Lori Miller for Tuesday, 14 February 2017 with Scripture: Psalm 23:1-6
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"Unafraid of the Dark" by Lori Miller
Psalm 23:(0) A psalm of David:
(1) Adonai is my shepherd; I lack nothing.
2 He has me lie down in grassy pastures,
he leads me by quiet water,
3 he restores my inner person.
He guides me in right paths
for the sake of his own name.
4 Even if I pass through death-dark ravines,
I will fear no disaster; for you are with me;
your rod and staff reassure me.
5 You prepare a table for me,
even as my enemies watch;
you anoint my head with oil
from an overflowing cup.
6 Goodness and grace will pursue me
every day of my life;
and I will live in the house of Adonai
for years and years to come.
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I could not have imagined as my body gave in to the sweet relief of sleep that the shrill ring of the telephone that shattered the stillness of night would usher my family into a very dark season of life. My children’s father was gone. At 44 years of age, his heart stopped beating and he slipped from life into death as the world slept, leaving me to deliver the news to the five little lives tucked safely in their beds, blissfully unaware of the dark reality that was to come.
The simplistic beauty and words of comfort found in the 23rd Psalm remind us that even in the darkest valley, God’s presence and His power can dispel our fear. When we find ourselves in those dark nights of the soul, perhaps questioning the presence and care of the Good Shepherd, we can rest in the assurance of God’s lavish and relentless love for His sheep. As He Himself reminds us several times throughout Scripture, "I will never leave you nor forsake you" [Joshua 1:5].
Even as I stumble around in the shadow of the valley, we are assured and buoyed by the provision, protection, and peace of God. -------
Hymn for Today: "He Hideth My Soul" by Fanny Crosby
1. A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
a wonderful Savior to me;
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
where rivers of pleasure I see.
Refrain:
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
that shadows a dry thirsty land;
He hideth my life in the depths of His love
and covers me there with His hand,
and covers me there with His hand.
2. A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
He taketh my burden away;
He holdeth me up, and I shall not be moved;
He giveth me strength as my day.
Refrain:
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
that shadows a dry thirsty land;
He hideth my life in the depths of His love
and covers me there with His hand,
and covers me there with His ha
3. With numberless blessings each moment He crowns,
and filled with His fullness divine,
I sing in my rapture, oh, glory to God
for such a Redeemer as mine!
Refrain:
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
that shadows a dry thirsty land;
He hideth my life in the depths of His love
and covers me there with His hand,
and covers me there with His ha
4. When clothed in His brightness, transported I rise
to meet Him clouds of the sky,
His perfect salvation, His wonderful love
I'll shout with the millions on high.
Refrain:
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
that shadows a dry thirsty land;
He hideth my life in the depths of His love
and covers me there with His hand,
and covers me there with His ha
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Thought for Today: Isaiah 40:11 He is like a shepherd feeding his flock,
gathering his lambs with his arm,
carrying them against his chest,
gently leading the mother sheep.”
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Please Pray: For the development of Christian leaders in the Ukraine.
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