The God Pause from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Tuesday, 21 March 2017 with Scripture: Psalm 23

The God Pause from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Tuesday, 21 March 2017 with Scripture: Psalm 23

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.[Complete Jewish Bible]

-------In June 2011, my hometown of Minot, N.D., and the surrounding communities suffered from an historic flood. The swollen Souris River climbed out of its banks swallowing up homes, schools, businesses, churches and parks. Suffice it to say "the valley of the shadow of death" seemed to have made itself at home, when so many were without theirs, in the Souris River Valley.
But where there is death, God's promise of resurrection is sure to follow. I saw the signs of this promise in the wildflowers that sprung up all around the barren valley--this silent choir reaching for the heavens with its cheerful yellow petals and singing through its very existence that life would bloom again. I saw this promise embodied in the sweaty and determined volunteers who worked to rebuild what had been destroyed.
Psalm 23 speaks beautifully to this promise. It does so by being honest about the reality of death and darkness. But then it continues to proclaim that even in "the valley of the shadow of death" God is still with us.
Shepherding God, help us to trust that when we are lost in the darkest of valleys we are not lost from you. Amen.
Annie Langseth
M.Div. Student, Luther Seminary
Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;
3 he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff-- they comfort me
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.[New Revised Standard Version]
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