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“He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Psalms 23:3
One of the most well-known psalms is the 23rd Psalm. It’s been memorized by Sunday School classes and confirmation groups, put to music and had entire books written on it.
Unfortunately, many know this psalm as a funeral psalm. Virtually every funeral or celebration of life service includes the 23rd psalm somewhere in the service. That’s unfortunate because Psalm 23 has little to do with death and much to do with life and love!
Todays verse is a great example. There are times in our lives, like now, when the trials and fears of life weigh us down. One more news report, one more doctors visit, one more call from the bill collector, one more car breaking down. We need strength! We need the power to push through.
When life gets confusing, and people let us down, by nature we look for someplace to get our strength. God, as our good shepherd, does two things to help us move forward when we don’t think we can.
First of all, he renews our strength. Like a drink of fresh cold water he revives us. Like a strong hug, he encourages us. Like a reassuring word he comforts us. He strengthens us physically, emotionally and spiritually when we rest in his arms.
Secondly he guides us to the path that we should move forward on. The voices of society and culture scream at us and tell us where we should go. But their voices conflict. The way they tell us changes with the wind. There’s no stability, no trust, no truth in what they preach.
With the strength and guidance of our good shepherd we can be strong. We can see the path clearly, although He may only show us a few steps at a time. When we have direction, we feel good about ourselves. And when we feel good about ourselves God is glorified.
“So correct me, Lord, but please be gentle. Do not correct me in anger, for I would die.” Jeremiah 10:24
None of us like to be corrected. I think there’s two reasons for that. What is pride. Let’s face it, none of us like to be wrong.
Another reason we don’t like correction can be linked to the person doing the correcting. If we trust the person doing the correcting in love, then we realize that what they are doing is for our good and our benefit.
It’s far easier to take the correction when it’s done in love. Notice I didn’t say it is EASY to take that correction because correction of any kind can be difficult , even painful.
But when we know it’s for our best and the person doing the correct thing loves us it makes it EASIER.
In our verse today, the prophet Jeremiah is realizing his sin as well as the sin of his people. He is well aware of the fact that God loves him. He is well aware of God‘s power to be able to do anything. He is also aware of God’s wrath. That’s why he pleads for correction, not punishment. Correction is done in love. Punishment is done in anger. Correction is done for our benefit. Punishment is done for revenge.
God corrects, or disciplines, those he loves because he wants us to be better, to be stronger. Our job is to ask his for discipline and accept his action, knowing that he loves us and only wants our best.
He’s my counselor. Someone I can talk to. Someone who can relate to my struggles without judgment, who accepts me in the midst of the struggle rather than waiting for me ‘on the other side’.
What does “He’s my Wonderful Counselor “ mean to you? What has he walked with you through?
