Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
Important people like executives, doctors, lawyers, have "receptionists" outside their office doors to keep you out, to administer non-reception. But there are two passages in the Bible that represent God as having His office door open to you all the time with a Receptionist or Secretary saying "Come in!" One is Christ's model prayer that instructs us to call God "our Father." You are invited; you are adopted; you are "family." Sinful and unworthy though you be? Yes! When the Father welcomed the wet, dripping Jesus as He came out of the water from John's baptism, He said of YOU, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matt. 3:17; Eph. 1:6). The other passage is Psalm 23.
(1) There is no fine print that warns the reader, "Beware! This psalm is only for good people who do everything right; only they can say that 'the Lord is [their] Shepherd.'" The last page of the Bible says "Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come" (Rev. 22:17).
(2) There is nothing you have to DO in order to make Christ become your Shepherd; He already is. You'll be a thousand times happier when you believe what is already truth.
(3) You "shall not want" because "my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:19). Rightly translated Psalm 23:1 says, "Your Shepherd is your Social Security."
(4) The "still waters" that refresh your soul even now come from the River of Life (Rev. 22:17).
(5) David probably wrote "He restoreth my soul" in his teenage years not knowing that he would some day pray with agonizing tears, "Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation" (51:12) after his quadruple sin of adultery with Bathsheba and cover-up murder. It's present tense for you; the "restoration" goes on, otherwise you'd be dead.
(6) The Shepherd "leadeth [you] in paths of righteousness" because "thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left" (Isa. 30:21). Unerring guidance!
(7) By God's grace, there will be a tomorrow for another glimpse of Christ as "my Shepherd."
Copyright © 2009 by Robert J. Wieland.
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
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Daily Bread - Readings about life and the Word of God.
