Dwelling in the House of the Lord

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Part 6

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Many of us hope to leave a legacy of “goodness and mercy,” a wake of influence that touches people in positive and enlightening ways. I sense this was a desire of the author of the 23^rd Psalm, for he certainly accomplished it with this piece of work. I would also imagine he understood that if goodness and mercy were to follow him, he would need to consciously strive to be good and merciful in his own daily affairs. Emerson said the same thing in a slightly different way: If you want to be a great soul, be a great soul now.

The first half of the last line in this famous psalm is an affirmative reminder of what is required of us if we want to make a positive, constructive impact on our world. We learn to give what we want to receive, to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. It is not difficult to leave someone feeling better than when you found them. A simple kind word or act may be all it takes to turn their day around. Random acts of kindness has become a catch phrase, and yet such acts quietly performed will do more to increase your quality of life, and the quality of life for others, than you can imagine.

The more we give our light to the world, the more we realize that we already dwell in the house of the Lord. Being a conscious giver opens our eyes to things we cannot see when we’re drawn in upon ourselves. The world becomes a brighter place because we bring the much needed light of compassion.

Make a conscious decision today to look for ways you can sow seeds of goodness and mercy, to brighten a moment for someone, to bring optimism to the gloomy prospects that another may be facing. See your life as “the house of the Lord,” full of opportunities to serve, to bless others, and to be blessed in return.

 

Finding Peace in the Valley

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Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

I once read that the valley of the shadow of death was a reference to when a shepherd would bring his flock through a narrow valley. There, predators would hide in the shadows of rocks and trees, using the narrow terrain to their advantage when they launched an attack on the flock.

Whether or not this is true, the valley here represents danger. Metaphysically, valleys represent low moments in consciousness, just like mountains represent high moments of enlightenment. We all have these low moments, and while they are going on, we feel quite vulnerable to forces real and imagined that threaten to harm us or rob us of something important.

At such times, we would do well to affirm with the Psalmist, I do not fear this negative appearance. God is my protector, my refuge, my guide. Then, we stand firm knowing the divine outworking of visible good is imminent, and we stand in this knowledge even when we see movement in the shadows. We affirm strength, steadfastness, and courage to keep moving forward.

Shadows do strange things. The gentlest person can put a flashlight to their chin, causing shadows that make them look sinister. Move the flashlight ever so slightly and the shadows, along with their negative effect, disappear.

There will be valleys, and there will be mountaintop experiences. It’s important for us to remind ourselves that God is present in them all. The 23^rd Psalm is an excellent reminder of this truth. The slightest movement of our thought toward God refreshes our faith, reassures us that life is good, and that the thing you fear today is on its way out. There is peace, even in your valley of the shadow of death, and it is waiting for you now.

My Cup Overflows

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Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies; thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows.

Again, this line from the 23^rd Psalm is rich with the ideas of protection and prosperity. The preparation of the table in the presence of enemies is a way of affirming, Greater good is unfolding even when things appear to be working against me. This is a very important understanding to affirm because it is absolutely true. When our life takes an unexpected turn for the worse we often react in ways that rob us of our peace and our creative optimism. The psalmist provides a key that enables us to stay centered in the truth: This thing is not as it appears. A banquet of good is set before you. Know this, and be at peace.

Oil is a symbol of prosperity, both materially and spiritually. The head is a symbol of wisdom, intelligence. The Bible describes Joseph, for example, as “a head above his brothers,” meaning, he was sharper. The image of God anointing your head with oil is a way of reminding you to open your mind to the infinite, divine possibilities both of a spiritual and material nature. In times of stress, we close our minds to all but the apparent problem, and it appears that our world is falling apart. God never ceases working, anointing you with everything you need to prosper through your challenges.

The image of the cup overflowing is the most obvious. See yourself overflowing with the light, life, and intelligence of God, touching everyone and everything that concerns you with peace, order, and an abundance of good. Our prosperity begins from within us and works its way out into our affairs. We literally overflow with divine energy. As we affirm and visualize this truth, we enhance its prospering activity in all that concerns us.

 

The Path of Righteousness

Part 3

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He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

The Psalmist continues with the theme of spiritual guidance. The translators of the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible change the phrase, paths of righteousness, to right paths, a clarification that should prove helpful in our understanding of the idea contained in this line. In practice the path of righteousness is sometimes converted into an attitude of religious self-righteousness, one that is often condemning of those who hold beliefs that are not compatible with what we think is right. The simple thought that God is leading you in right paths is a powerful, affirmative attitude that allows you leave others to find the way that is most meaningful to them.

The word sake means for the good, the benefit or the welfare of somebody or something. In addition, Biblical names, particularly in the Old Testament, depicted a characteristic or the nature of a person or place. The phrase, for his name’s sake, can be thought of as meaning, for the benefit of his (God’s) nature. In other words, there is a right path for you, a way through which God seeks expression. In this line you are affirming that God is leading you to your right path, one through which all the divine attributes of peace, health and the abundance of all good shines forth naturally.

In your times of quiet, let go of your grasping for answers. Looking outside of yourself and seeking the resolution to this or that problem is the cause of all tension of your mind, shortness of breath and stress in your body. You are on the right path when you turn to God alone for guidance. You are complying with God’s nature that works from the center to the circumference of your being. You know you are on the right path when you feel the stress of groping for solutions begin to subside and the peace of trust in God rise from your center.

Affirm: God’s perfect peace is my right path and I choose this path now. Be still. The peace of stillness is your right path.

Beside Still Waters

Part 2

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“He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.”

 

The imagery presented in these two lines of the 23rd Psalm is very calming, a wonderful visualization to begin a productive meditation time.

The Psalmist no doubt arrived at this potent visual as the result of his own experience with God. All who experience God come to know the calming, soul restoring influence of the inner light, the inner stillness, and they return to the realm of their affairs with a renewed assurance that all is well, all is in divine order.

Do you feel overwhelmed by some condition in your life? Are you in a frantic struggle to resolve it? Is there some care quietly gnawing away at your peace, perhaps interrupting your sleep, or creating a distraction in your creative, more productive endeavors? Imagine yourself resting in green pastures, sitting calm and serene beside beautiful waters, feeling the restoring presence of Spirit in you imparting new strength, new inspiration, and new enthusiasm from which to meet your day.

The Psalmist wrote of an experience that is not only available to us all, it is our most natural state of being. A dedicated effort to return often to this inner center of quiet will cause you to realize throughout your day, that nothing can disturb the calm peace of my soul.

When the temptation to fall into a frantic mode arises, remember the green pastures, the still waters of God’s presence that restore your soul. Move into that calming, healing place, and let new light and energy lift you up to a greater sense of calm, of unwavering confidence in the greater good now unfolding through you.

 

The Lord is My Shepherd

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Part 1

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

The 23^rd Psalm has served as a source of comfort to millions over the years. It is a profound series of affirmations that, in challenging times, reminds us that there is a higher Presence working in and through us, and that we can trust this Presence to guide us to the right thing.

The Psalmist does not say, The lord wants to be my shepherd, and if I will love and promise to obey Him, He will take care of my wants. He says, “The lord is my shepherd…” He is stating a changeless relationship that we often forget, especially in our trying moments.

A shepherd is a caretaker, a protector, one that guides his or her flock to the best and least dangerous grazing spots. Isn’t this a wonderful image to hold of our relationship to God? Right now, you and I are being guided into the best and highest, the most bountiful place in life, the richest environment in which to learn and grow.

Pause for a moment to remember this. Allow yourself to let go and trust that you are in the right place at the right time, that unseen good is now unfolding through your experience. Get the feeling that you are being guided, that your unfulfilled longing is being satisfied in every way.

Affirm often: The lord is my shepherd, I shall not want, then listen for the quiet, gentle guidance that is calling you to trust, that is leading you to a deep, inner satisfaction. Know beyond all doubt that you are being lovingly guided through uncertain times, and through territory that may be unknown to you. Nothing is unknown to the lord of your being, to God, your unfailing source and protector.