Reading: Psalm 23
Reflection: Chances are you could skip that step above. Who needs to open their Bible to read Psalm 23? We know it by heart or at least can get through most of it by memory. Except here is my earliest memory of the 23rd Psalm: Kindergarten Sunday School and hearing over and over again, “The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want”. All I could think was, “Why would I not want the Lord? That does not make any sense at all and why do all the grown-up churchy people think this so beautiful?” I am telling you, I was very baffled. I don’t know exactly when I had an Ah-hah! moment of understanding but it may very well have been at church camp, youth group or whenever it was that I finally read or heard a translation other than the one in the RSV Bible or on flowery bookmarks. I just know, somewhere along the way I learned, Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need! (The Way) The Lord is my Shepherd; I have everything I need. (Good News) The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want. (NIV) The Lord is my constant companion. There is no need he cannot fulfill. (Psalms Now by Leslie Brandt) Yes! Ah-hah! It made sense. Those dear Sunday School teachers were not so contradictory after all. I just did not understand punctuation and how “I shall not want” did not mean the same as the way I felt about spinach. Boy, did I ever need that clarification. Thank you, Lord, for shepherding me to it. --Ruth Gates, frequent Camp Mount Luther Family Camper Closing Prayer: Dear God, open our hearts and our minds to your Word so we may understand the message of your love for us. Help us also to share that message with others so they may understand, too. Amen.
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