Devotions
Fjeldberg – Devotion for March 20th, 2025
READ (Psalm 23)
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff–they comfort me.
REFLECT
Life can be full of so much noise—so many distractions, so much busyness—and the temptation for many of us can be to just get swept away by all of it. There are what seem to be endless responsibilities that need to be fulfilled – bills to be paid, activities to attend, demands to be met, and if we’re not careful, we are in danger of drifting away from the Lord. We often are unsuccessful as we try to navigate both the speed and noise of our current society. Psalm 23 reminds me of an era when the pace of life was a bit slower and the noise was a bit less. The words of this Psalm convey an image of peace, rest and tranquility, taken next to a stream of quiet beauty and calm.
When the weather permits, Mike and I like to drive out to the spillway of Saylorville Lake and enjoy being by the water. When the water levels of the dam are high, the speed of the water coming out of the spillway is very tumultuous and can be a bit scary. It reminds us both of the sometimes chaotic speed of our current political and social environment. When we’ve had enough of watching the water coming out of the spillway, we drive down the river away from the spillway, and soon find the river flowing at a much slower pace. We sit and listen to the soothing sound of calm waters. I envision that God is present in the water between the hectic spillway and the river downstream, calming the flow of water to a more peaceful rate. We can sit there, next to streams of quieter waters, close our eyes, recite the passage, and imagine ourselves in a place of calm and tranquility. On many occasions, even in the midst of the chaos and distractions of life, I have recalled the words of the psalmist, picturing myself in this place of tremendous beauty and peace, and I am able to center my spirit and quiet my soul.
I encourage you, in this season of Lent, to take a moment today and ask our Good Shepherd to lead your spirit next to a place of green pastures and quiet waters—so that he may restore your soul.
PRAY:
Good Shepherd, help us to be successful at quieting the noise and limit the distractions of our daily lives, so we can hear your still, small voice. Lead us to green pastures and quiet waters, and guide us in your paths of righteousness, for your glory. Amen.
Devotions by Paul V