Leaving a wake of goodness and love

Psalm 23 is well traveled ground. I mean WELL traveled. So, there probably isn't anything that hasn't already been said. But, I would politely request that you give it a read anyway on the off chance that it sparks something in your brain.

This time through, two things stood out to me. First, the psalmist admits that his tendency is to over-commit and never stop moving. Look at verse two again.

He makes me lie down in green pastures

He makes me. Not, he offers to me, gives me permission, tells me it's ok, but he makes me lie down. The psalmist is getting at something that we all deal with in some way. It may not be your career or your school work, but there is something that you are constantly tempted to keep your brain on overdrive about. Maybe it's your kids, maybe it's your volunteer responsibilities. For us pastors, often it's how many folks are connected to the church, how many people are being actively discipled, how many visitors we are bringing in, etc. It doesn't matter what the subject is, there is at least something in our lives that God has to get up in our face, shout at the top of his lungs, STOP!!!!! Take a break. Rest in me. Let me renew and restore you. Let me reenergize you. You can't sustain this level of activity, no matter how noble the cause. When God gets in your grill, my best advice to you is to listen and do what he says. Don't argue. Don't challenge him. Just obey.

My second observation is kind of complicated. Notice a series of thoughts in the rest of the psalm. God guides us in paths of righteousness, but where does that path lead? It leads straight into the most dangerous place in town. It leads straight into the valley of death. And why is that? Because that is exactly where the life that God offers is needed most. That is exactly where we are called to go. God charges into the darkness and death so that he can bring life and light and hope. And if we are walking with him, that's exactly where he's going to lead us. We just have to be brave enough to know that if we follow him in there that we have nothing to fear. We don't have to fear, not just because he walks there with us, but because we are already dead! We are crucified with Christ. It's not us who is living anymore, but Christ who lives in us.

I want to leave you with this thought. Look how the psalmist finishes his prayer.

Surely goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

Goodness and love will what? Follow me. If we wait for goodness and love, we will be waiting for a really long time. When we step into the life that God calls us to, when we follow him into the valley of the shadow of death, we leave behind an enormous wake of goodness and love. All the people watching us (and there are lots even if you don't know) will get caught up in that wake. Our obedience, sacrifice, and submission will overwhelm them with God's grace and mercy.

So that is my challenge to us today. What can you do today that leave behind a wake of love and goodness? Think about it. Pray about it. Ask God to show you which valley of death he wants to lead you into. And then follow him into it! It may hurt. It may be frustrating. It may require you to sacrifice. But it will be the most meaningful thing you've done all week.

Thoughts? Join in the conversation.