Morning Devotional 021224 God Pursues Us!

Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room

  February 12, 2024

Psalm 23:1-6

1 The LORD is my shepherd. I lack nothing. 2 He lets me rest in grassy meadows; he leads me to restful waters; 3 he keeps me alive. He guides me in proper paths for the sake of his good name. 4 Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no danger because you are with me. Your rod and your staff they protect me. 5 You set a table for me right in front of my enemies. You bathe my head in oil; my cup is so full it spills over! 6 Yes, goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the LORD’s house as long as I live.

Good Morning! Embrace God’s love!

It is always interesting to read a familiar passage in a different translation. In times of need, I like to read the translation that I’m familiar with because my primary need is comfort and I find comfort in what is familiar. 

When I’m engaging and studying the text, reading a familiar passage in a new way is helpful to find things I may haven’t seen before. This morning, a couple of phrases stand out to me. He keeps me alive in place of He restores my soul. That is powerful imagery. 

Then, there is the verb pursues instead of follows in verse 6. Pursue is more engaging than follow. If someone is following me, maybe they’re just watching where I go, and certainly, God keeps an eye on us and watches from a distance in case we need help. But pursue implies that God is seeking us no matter where we might be for our whole lives. 

God keeps me alive and continues to seek/pursue my whole life. 

Gracious God, Thank you for this beautiful gift of life. You created us, and You sustain us always.  We thank you! In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen

Thought for the day: God provides many opportunities for me to say yes.

God is with us!  Pastor Liz