Contempt in Familiarity

Reading: Psalm 23

"And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." Psalm 23

Examination:

This is an old and familiar Psalm. It is a Psalm that many were taught as child. It is a Psalm that is consistently used in movies. It is a Psalm that can be read in a crowded room and most everyone would have heard it. The struggle with familiarity is that it breeds contempt. When that happens an amazing passage of scripture is robbed of its beauty, power, and promise.

There are four main promises in this passage; spiritual nourishment, spiritual restoration, correct guidance, and absolute protection.

Application:

As a child this was the first passage of scripture that I memorized. Of all the scripture in the Bible it is the one of which I am the most familiar. Of all the passages in the Bible it is often the one that I question the most.

I know what it means to be hungry for a word from God and hear nothing. I know what it is to have my soul be in dire need of healing but find no relief. I know what it means to feel lost as a goose and not understand where I got off path. I know what it feels like trust in God for protections and yet be attacked an run over.

So this leads me back to the age old question of what do I do when the promise of the Word does not match the reality of my life?

Prayer:

Father, in my arrogance I have often examined my life, compared it to Your Word, and made a determination that You were not doing Your job. To be honest, that is the conclusion that I often make still today. Nothing brings out the worst in me than being deeply hurt by someone I love and there are no deeper hurts I feel than when I feel hurt by You.

I ask that You forgive me. I have been so guilty of judging You unfairly. Bad circumstances will happen to me. Some of these rough times are just simply a result of living in a fallen world. All of humanity is affected by the choices we all make collectively and we set into motion bad things. Some of the rough times are the result of intentional attacks on me by others. People are capable of doing some really rotten things and sometimes I am at the receiving line of their attack. Then there are times that I suffer because of my own foolish choices. You are my shepherd but I have to stay with the flock. I have to heed Your poking and prodding. I have to be content with Your pasture. I have to lay down, stay down, and draw near. When I choose to not do this, I choose to walk away from Your Promise.

Father regardless of what I think or feel I know that Your Word is true. I pray that You will allow this old and familiar passage from Your Word to become fresh to me. Help me to experience Your nourishment, restoration, guidance, and protection in real and tangible ways. Keep me alert to the poking, prodding, and pulling of Your shepherd's staff so that I may always find myself in the pastures You desire. When disappointment comes to my life give me the wisdom and strength I need to just draw near to You.