Weekly Encouragement May 20th, 2020 Psalm 23: 2

 "He offers a resting place for me in his luxurious love. His tracks take me to an oasis of peace, the quiet brook of bliss."

-Psalm 23:2

      I love how the Passion Translation calls God's love "luxurious''.  One meaning of the word luxurious is, opulent, or an abundance. God tells us many times throughout the Bible that there is plenty. Plenty love, plenty of the Holy Spirit. And isn't that all we need?  It is... but I have trouble remembering that sometimes.  Luke 11:9 NLT says, "And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you." But it is important not to stop there! A lot of the time people will quote that verse, and give no backstory to what Jesus was talking about. In verse 13 it says, "So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him." So in verse nine, Jesus is not guaranteeing that every wish we have will be granted. But he is guaranteeing, that if we seek, we truly seek out over and over again and continue to search for the Holy Spirit, God will give it to us. That is some truly great news. 

    In the second part of Psalm 23:2, it says that the Lord's instruction will take me to an "oasis of peace" and a "quiet brook of bliss". Meditate on Gods word to you for a moment. 

    I don't know about you, but an oasis of peace and brook of bliss sounds pretty wonderful to me. In the old testament, righteousness was the way.  But now, because Jesus, the Son of God, gave His perfect life up, trusting in and following Jesus, is the way. John 14:6 says, "I am the Way, the Truth, and I am the Life. No one comes next to the Father except through union with me. To know me is to know my Father too." This is important to look at because Jesus gave us a way to the Father, despite how sinful we are. But this gift isn't a permission slip from God to go wild in sin. Because, who can truly find an oasis of peace if there is shame on their mind? If there are regrets on your conscience, can you find rest at the brook of bliss? We must leave our past behind, take up our cross and follow Jesus. 

    It is important to remember that it is not how good we are, but Jesus' blood and sacrifice, that saved us.  I especially have trouble sometimes remembering this, but when I do remember, the load feels lighter. I like Titus 3:5, "he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit." Because guess what, even if we don't tell God our secrets, He knows them anyway. God sent Jesus to us despite our sins. And for that, we will rejoice.