Happy December and Advent Season, friends! I know it’s been a while since I’ve written down some of the things I’m processing in my mind, but right now, we’re in the beginning of the 2019 Christmas season and I’m intentionally making the time to be still and write down what’s recently kind of blown my mind a little bit – actually in the past few days. I also want to share it with you if you want to follow along with me the next two weeks here on my blog.
Tomorrow I’m going to begin “Our Savior and Shepherd” study and I thought I’d give you a little background before we start. The past several months I’ve been reading the book “Life Without Lack: Living in the Fullness of Psalm 23” by Dallas Willard. I highly recommend reading it! (But warning: you better have a new pen or highlighter because you’ll want to use them a lot in that book!)
Only because of the Holy Spirit, while I was praying asking Him what to reflect on this Christmas season, Psalm 23 came to my mind. I first thought, Psalm 23 and Christmas? Really? But a few days ago, I began to look through Jesus’ birth story, Psalm 23, and the prophecies and was honestly a little in awe at the harmony between them all. I had never seen it before.
Starting tomorrow, I want to begin unpacking this gift God has given me and you. You’re invited and welcome to join me each day the next two weeks as I try to do that. Will you join me in prayer?
LORD, You are our Shepherd and our Savior. Please guide, protect, feed, and save us this Christmas season as we live in this world where it’s easy to get caught in the secular stresses and only think of the birth of your Son on Christmas Eve at church. Please be with each one who reads these thoughts and restore their souls as we focus on the birth of Your Son and the prophesies of our salvation through Him, that baby lying in a manger. Please, LORD, only YOUR words come through my thoughts and what I write for this series. Glory to You alone God! Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to us on whom HIS favor rests! (Luke 2:14) Amen
The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23
Beth