A parallel reading of the Lord's Prayer and Psalm 23

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A parallel reading of the Lord's Prayer and Psalm 23

Forum: Messageboard
Date: 2001, Dec 13
From: Keith poetkeith

Hi all,
While mediating on the Lord's prayer, I was somehow prompted to also read Psalm 23. Was pleasantly surprised to find many parallels between the two passages. The Holy Spirit's prompting and the Word is indeed wonderful!
1. HE IS ALMIGHTY AND SOVEREIGN
Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
(The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.)
Thought: We have a Father who is King. We have a Lord who is our Sheperd. Knowing full well and experiencing for a fact that we are deeply loved, securely protected and abundantly blessed by the wonderful Shepherd King who is sovereign over all creation (and yet still bother to love us!), what else would we do, but to ask earnestly for His name to be hallowed, His kingdom to come, and His will to be done?
2. HIS NORISHMENTS ARE TIMELY AND SATISFYING
Give us today our daily bread.
(He makes me lie down in the green pastures, he leads me beside quite waters,)
Thought: Our Father provides. Our Sheperd feeds. God meets (in the present tense!) all our needs. We need not be anxious. Let's learn to enjoy and rest in His abundance.
3. HIS FORGIVES US AND IMPUTES HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ON US
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
(he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.)
Thought: Our Father has forgiven us. Our Sheperd has given us His Righteousness. God will never ever count our sins against us. We are now His beloved because we are in the Beloved. Because of Jesus, we are now completely justified and totally accepted by God. Our names are now (and forever!) written in Heaven. How amazingly blessed we are!
4. HIS LEADING PROVIDES COMFORT AND OVERFLOWING JOY
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
(Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You annoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.)
Thought: The King leads His people. The Sheperd is with His sheep. God's leading is perfect. Even when we fumble in the face of temptations, even when we venture into pitfalls, even as we are faced with attacks, He is always with us. He delivers us from trials and curses, and leads us into glorious victories and overflowing blessings.
5. HIS GOODNESS AND GREATNESS IS FOREVER
for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen.
(Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever)
Thought: The King's kingdom is everlasting. The Sheperd's house is forever. With God's everlasting power and glory, comes His forever goodness and love.
We are deeply loved and greatly blessed - all the days of our lives!
What else could we do, but to joyfully dwell in His house, and to earnestly ask for His name to be hallowed, His kingdom to come, and His will to be done?
Isn't our Father's love amazing? Isn't Our Lord Jesus beautiful?
Walk in His Grace and be blessed in Him!
His beloved, Keith
Revelation 22:21 "The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen"