Psalm 23: The Lord Is My Shepherd

April 29, 2012             Psalm 23- The Lord Is My Shepherd

Acts 4:5-12                 Psalm 23          1 John 3:16-24            John 10:11-18

I don’t know about you, but personally, I’m not the best patient.  I’m not a bad patient, I’ve known worse, but I’m also not the best.  I have problems following orders.  I second guess and question and pretty much do what I want to do and find ways to justify this. Somehow I get by.  It must be frustrating though, being a doctor and knowing how poorly orders are followed.

If I were to tell you I had a prescription that if followed faithfully for only 7 days would radically change your life for the better, would you do it?  Dr. Charles Allen, a minister, in his book God’s Psychiatry, written in 1953 and reprinted repeatedly since that time, does just that.  His prescription is to read the 23^rd Psalm five times a day at different intervals for 7 days.  You can’t sit down in the morning and read the psalm five times at once and consider yourself done for the day, any more than you would take five pills at once if your doctor had ordered you to take them throughout the day.  It must be at different times, perhaps when you first wake up, at breakfast, lunch and dinner and then before you go to sleep.  I can’t say that I managed this myself.   Seems there is always some reason I forget or maybe it’s just because, as I already admitted, I’m not the most compliant patient.  But I can say that for the past twelve years that I have been chaplain here at Vista, every year during the Easter season the common lectionary readings feature Good Shepherd Sunday, including the 23^rd Psalm in the readings. 

Year, after year I have been challenged to come up with new ideas, new ways, to explore that mystery of God as shepherd.  Some years I have focused on sheep, the nature of sheep and how they needed a shepherd if they were to survive.  Sometimes I focused on the shepherd’s voice and how the sheep know it.  Others I focused on the rod and staff that guides.  Still others I have focused on wants versus needs, the restful waters, or the valley of death, or the banquet table.  All worthwhile.  So while I may not have followed Dr. Allen’s prescription precisely, I have certainly reflected on this psalm repeatedly throughout the years.  There is an abundance of riches to choose from in preaching on this topic, an abundance that can be challenging.  

Mark Twain is believed to have said, “I’d have written you a shorter letter if I had more time.”  It can be harder at times to say something in a few words than in many words.  This psalm is a beautifully crafted piece that says so much in only 118 words, 6 verses, well worth repeating, memorizing, praying.  It is one of the most well-known passages in Scripture, second only to the Lord’s Prayer.  People who rarely darken a church’s door, when confronted with the death of a loved one and funeral preparations, will almost without fail ask for this particular psalm, so much so that it has become synonymous with funerals.  Yet it is truly about life, not death, how to live in this life and the next.    

The psalm is written in two parts.  The first section, verses 1-4, speaks of our journey while on this earth, under the care of the shepherd.  The second section shifts to the journey’s end.  The shepherd becomes the host of a wonderful banquet.  Yet the two are connected.  The good shepherd is the good host in verse 2 when he provides green pastures and still waters for his flock; the good host is the good shepherd in verse 6 where we see how goodness and kindness follow, provide the rear guard for the flock.  As one commentator states, “The Good Shepherd sees to his shepherding from the beginning to the end of our pilgrimage that at the eventide we may come to our dwelling, which is also his, where he can lay aside his shepherd’s garments and assume the vestments of the kindly host.” (The Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. 4 p. 124)

Verse 1 states, the Lord is my shepherd.  He is not my task-master, ordering me around, rather he is a care-taker, providing for my needs, watching out for me.  So I shall not want for anything I truly need.

Verses 2-3 portrays a day in the life of the sheep.  We begin with the morning, being awakened by the shepherd’s voice, the flock begins its journey to the appointed place where they will find pastureland and water and rest where their bodies are restored for the next stage of the journey.  Certainly our life is like this.  We journey, then we take a break to rest.  Both are needed.  We don’t spend our days just sleeping and eating.  Our food and rest are to help us with the day’s journey.  Sometimes we can get so caught up with the journey, the work we are doing, that we forget to take time to rest.  The good shepherd knows we need food and rest to sustain us on our journey so even when we resist, he makes us lie down and get the rest we need.  Then, with our souls restored, we renew the journey.  

Then in verse 4 comes the greatest challenge.  The shepherd leads the flock in the path of righteousness (verse 3) but sometimes that path isn’t easy, leads through dark times, dark places.  Knowing what lies ahead, the dangers, the shepherd makes sure the flock is well rested and well fed before embarking on this next part of the journey.  A reminder of how important it is to enjoy those periods of rest when they come to us for we do not know what lies ahead, only the shepherd knows that.  As is so often the case in life, the heaviest burdens and tests do not come in the morning but in the afternoon.  The deep valley is not a short one, the journey through it lasts till evening, but the flock doesn’t worry for they know the shepherd is present to protect them. 

Once the journey is made we are welcomed into the banquet hall where no point of hospitality is overlooked, verses 5-6.  A table is prepared, healing oils are poured on the fleece of the sheep, emphasizing how far the shepherd goes in caring for the sheep, and the cup overflows, we have more than enough, more than we need, more than we can drink, our cup never empties.  And what’s even more, at journey’s end, we shall remain in this house of abundance forever, the reward of the righteous, all who follow the shepherd’s voice.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “A man is what he thinks about all day long.”  Marcus Aurelius, “A man’s life is what his thoughts make it.”  Norman Vincent Peale, “Change your thoughts and you change your world.”  Proverb 23:7, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” (Allen, p. 15) As we think, so we are.  There is a power in these verses.  If said over and over again, thoughtfully, reflectively, they can change your way of thinking.  The words reflect a positive, hopeful approach to life.  No one can live the 23^rd Psalm and remain fearful.  It speaks to the heart of who God is (Good Shepherd), how to think about God and how to be in relationship to God (as followers).  It is a source of comfort and strength for every day. 

One criticism of Psalm 23 is that some may interpret it as a private faith between God and me and doesn’t address the importance of mission and community.  Yet the shepherd tends the flock, community is implied.  He isn’t just there for the individual, yet the individual is not lost in the flock.  The Good Shepherd knows his sheep, Jesus reminds us.

Our Gospel expands on this image of God as Good Shepherd who knows his sheep and they know him, who lays down his life for his sheep.  There is a power that comes from this relationship with our God.  It is this power that allows the apostles Peter and John to perform miracles in our reading from Acts of the Apostles, the power that comes from their relationship with God.  The reading from 1 John reminds us that in that we have been loved, we are to love in return; we are to do as Jesus did in caring for others, following the example of the Good Shepherd.  Not only are we led by the Good Shepherd, we are to be that shepherd to others, leading others to the shepherd’s voice.   In that our God provides for us, we are to provide for others in need.  In that our cup overflows, we are to share our abundance with others.  The Lord is our shepherd, there is nothing we shall want, our cup overflows, and so we are called to share with others.

Psalm 23 - a prescription for peace of mind, change of heart and great love.  Take it five times a day.

Copyright April 2012, Robertson

Psalm 19 - the Heavens Sing of the Wonder of God!

April 15, 2012             Psalm 19, All Creation Proclaims God’s Handiwork!

Acts 4:32-35               Psalm 19          1 John 1:1-2:2             John 20:19-31

The heavens are telling the glory of God, all creation proclaims God’s handiwork!  Our psalm for today is composed of two very distinct parts.  As seems to be a common practice, it appears that two independent poems were joined into one. This psalm truly is a gem.  It ranks as one of the best examples of Hebrew poetry, using fresh poetic imagery and theological insights.  The first, verses 1-6, declares God glory in heaven and on earth, the second, verses 7-14, extol the wonder of God in his law.  They are different in style, point of view and poetry.  So what do they have in common?  Why are they linked together?  Let’s look at them separately first.

The heavens are telling – what are they telling?  Usually a hymn begins with a call to praise the Lord, ie. Psalm 113, 135, 136, 146, 148, 150 to name a few, but not so in this case.  The hymn has already begun, in fact it began it the moment of creation as we hear in Job 38:7 “While the morning star sang in chorus and all the sons of God (angels) shouted for joy?”  It began then and has not ceased since then, the heavenly chorus sings endlessly, day by day, night by night, it never ceases.  There is a music in the universe and in each one of us.  Is it any wonder that music has such a power to heal and inspire?  It speaks to the very young, the very old and all ages in between.  Dementia and Alzheimer’s patients that are withdrawn and hard to reach will respond to the sound of a favorite song from their youth.  That’s why I always bring hymns with me when I lead services in health centers.  Those hymns are more important than any words I might have.

Each day tells its story, sings its song, to the next day; night to night declares knowledge – the planets, the moon, the stars, all have their own story to tell, they are witnesses to the mysteries of creation.  One characteristic of Hebrew poetry is personification of inanimate objects, so the trees clap their hands as we see in Isaiah.  In Psalm 19 day and night and the sun are given human characteristics.  As one commentator states, “each day had a life of its own, and is pictured as coming forth from its dwelling to play its part at the appointed time, with a primary duty of declaring to its successor that God is glorious.” (Interpreter’s Bible, vol. 4 pp. 102-103)  Night also has its story to tell.  But then we hear that even though they are constantly in dialogue, yet they do not speak:  “There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.” (3-4) How can this be?  They are speaking in profound ways, yet they do not use words.  Sometimes the strongest messages are not the ones spoken but ones encased in silence; their silence speaks louder than words. Who hasn’t been left speechless at times by the beauty of God in nature, in a sunrise or sunset, a rainbow against a mountain, autumn trees or cherry blossoms in spring?  Nature speaks so loud it needs no words, yet we, human that we are, struggle to put into words that which needs no words, that is expressed best in silence.

The sun is personified as a bridegroom, arising each day, bursting forth from his tent and joyfully running a race across the sky, running out of sheer joy. Thus the first section which focuses on God’s glory in nature ends appropriately with the greatest of the celestial beings, the sun.

The second section speaks of God’s glory in the Law.  It lacks the poetic brilliance of the first, yet comes from a devout heart.  The psalmist uses six different terms for the law, each introducing a different aspect.  1.  The law is perfect, reviving the soul; 2. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; 3. The precepts are right, rejoicing the heart; 4. The commandment is pure, enlightening the eyes; 5. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; 6.  The ordinances are true and righteous altogether.  So the law is perfect, sure, right, pure, clean and true.  It revives the soul, makes the simple wise, rejoices the heart, enlightens the eyes, endures forever and is righteous, all good things.  The law is perfect so we don’t need anything else, we just need follow the law.  It is clean, not defiled, it is true, we can count on it, it’s not changing, a good thing in this ever-changing world where it sometimes seems there is nothing we can count on to remain the same.  It is pure, literally meaning “shining”- it shines like a lamp, sheds light on our path, much as the sun lights our day.   The writer then goes on to say it is more desirable than gold, sweeter than honey (10).

There is reward in keeping the law, it provides a warning light to let us know when we might be going off the path of righteousness (11), for “who can discern his errors? (12) It is so easy to be misled so the writer prays that God will guide him and keep him from sin so that he can be blameless before God (12-13).  The psalm ends with a beautiful prayer, often used in liturgies, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” (14)  Where else does sin arise but in our thoughts which lead to unkind or untrue words.  If we can but keep our thoughts, the meditations of our hearts, pure, then our words and actions will be true.

While each section is distinct, unique, they both declare God’s glory, one in nature, the other in God’s law.  While each can stand alone, they are stronger together for they support each other.  Reflecting on God’s wonder in nature can lead to wonder at God’s law, God’s word.  There also is a natural law, God’s law as written in nature.  These concepts are connected psychologically in that the person who stands in awe at God’s majesty is not likely to slight his laws but would follow them.  Emmanuel Kant linked the starry sky above with the moral law within (Interpreter’s Bible, p. 101).  There is a connection. “The law is no less a marvel of divine creation than the majestic order of the celestial bodies,” as one commentator states (p. 101).  Both are from God and lead to God.   God’s law is written in nature and within the human heart. The theme of light also connects the two.  The sun lights the celestial sky, God’s law lights the mortal mind, so we are led by the sun in the physical world, the law in the moral world.

Our reading from John’s first letter starts with a prologue, much like John’s gospel.  It begins with God’s word, reminding us that Jesus was God’s word in flesh.  Much like our psalm, it begins with the beginning, the beginning of all creation.  The writer has a story to pass on to others, just as each day has a story to tell.  In telling this story he finds joy:  “we are writing this so that our joy may be complete.”  He then goes on to tell how God is light and we need to walk in the light.

In our gospel, Jesus appears to the disciples in the upper room.  He offers no words of condemnation, rather he chases away their fears with words of peace.  “Peace be with you,” he says three times.  Once was not enough, it needed to be repeated, echoing his earlier words from John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  Not as the world gives do I give it to you.”  There is no word of reproach or recrimination, no mention of sin on their part, rather he gives them a mission to go out into the world, empowered by God’s Spirit; they are given the ability to forgive sins just as he forgave sins.  Jesus appears in bodily form, yet transformed.  He is no longer of this world and yet of this world.  He is recognizable and can even be touched.  He is the epitome of peace, the peace the world cannot give but that is ours in the next world.

Inspired by God’s spirit, we see the early Christian community in our reading from Acts of the Apostles, living together in a unity and peace, unparalleled at any other time, and short lived.  But for that short time they experienced the peace that Jesus spoke of, a peace only God can give.

God’s law and God’s word are linked in Scripture.  They are one and the same. I have a friend who likes to find words, single words that she believes express God’s message to her at this point in time.  In prayer she waits for a word.  Once the word comes to her, she holds onto it, reflects on it, until it no longer speaks to her and it is time for a new word.  God doesn’t speak to us in a lot of words.  Like nature, God is always speaking, but more often than not, there are no words.  When God does use words, they are sparse yet powerful.  We know they are from God.  God does use words at times in order to reach us, tell us of his love and give us guidance.  God’s most perfect word is Jesus.

So what word does Jesus have for us today?  I would venture to guess it is the word Peace.  If all were living in accord with God’s word, in accord with God’s law written in nature and the human heart, then there would be peace, peace in our hearts, peace in our communities, peace in our world.  Jesus in resurrected form is the epitome of peace.

We all have a story to tell, our own unique story that needs to be told to those who come after us, a song to be sung, just as each day tells its story to the next.  There is a joy in telling that story, the story of how God has touched our lives.  If we live our story and follow God’s law then the peace of Christ will prevail, a peace that surpasses all understanding.

Robertson, copyright April 2012

Psalm 18B: The Lord Lives - through the cross to resurrection!

Easter 2012           Psalm 18B: The Lord Lives! Through the Cross to Resurrection

Isaiah 25:6-9               Psalm 18B       1 Corinthians 15:1-11             John 20:1-18

Dear Mildred,

            Remember that fancy “tablet” my children purchased for me so I could send and receive email?  Toast.  But, I’m getting ahead of myself.  Let me tell you about my own particular brand of March Madness.

            It started two weeks ago Saturday as I was driving to the library where I was scheduled to do a travelogue on our trip to the Holy Land.  I turned the corner, pressed on the gas and . . . nothing.  My Chrysler 300 with less than 44,000 miles on it refused to accelerate. I called for road service and arranged for a ride to the library.  While in the midst of my presentation, the lens popped out of my glasses.  The only thing I could find to repair them was a paper clip, still I persevered.  After the presentation I received a call from my mechanic.  He told me they could not do the repair, it had to go to the dealer - never a good sign.  I arranged to have my car towed to the dealer, purchased a glasses’ repair kit, fixed my glasses and life was good again.

            On Monday morning I borrowed a car in order to keep my 7:30a.m. appointment for an ultrasound.  After weeks of indigestion I had finally scheduled a doctor’s appointment.  I was reluctant to do this because I knew it was never a matter of a one stop shop anymore where my family doctor was concerned.  The days of seeing the doctor, getting a prescription and going on my merry way are gone.  I still get the prescription but one doctor’s appointment usually leads to another and another as well as a round of tests.  I much prefer the one stop shop approach of previous generations to today’s practice of the family doctor being the gateway to countless specialists.  This was not just a pain in the gut but one elsewhere . . .

            After my appointment I called the service department to check on my car.  I was told it would be late afternoon before they would be able to get my car in.  Since they do not provide loaners I decided to get a rental car so I could maintain my busy lifestyle.  By 4:30p.m. they still hadn’t looked at my car.  By 10:30a.m. the next morning they were looking at it but did not know what they trouble was yet.  By 4:30p.m. they were busy working on the estimate – also not a good sign.  When I finally got the estimate at 5:30p.m., I had just pulled into a restaurant where I was meeting friends for dinner.  I was told I needed a complete redo of the transmission, plus rear brakes and rotors.  I told him to forget the brakes and rotors because I could go just about anywhere else and get them cheaper.  Just do the transmission. 

In a state of sticker shock from the cost for the transmission, I sat down, reached into my purse to get my prescription for Prilosec to take before the meal and pulled out an empty prescription bottle—the pills had poured out into the bottom of my purse.  I proceeded to dump the contents of my purse on the table in order to dig the pills out, realizing all along how foolish this was, better to wait until I got home, but I did it anyway.

That night I watched the dvd of the Adjustment Bureau with Matt Damon (so cute) that I had borrowed from the library.  I thought to myself, maybe I just need to adjust my thinking on this, be more positive.  I woke up the next morning thinking today would be a better day.  I was going to look on the bright side.  I sat up, reached for my glasses, put them on and the lens popped out again.

Later that day when I called the service department to get an idea when my car would be done, I was told the part was on back order and not expected in until April 11 – two weeks away.  So much for my positive thinking.

Thursday morning I turned on my tablet—no Internet.  The device was stuck on airplane mode and would not allow any internet access.  I called technical support and they weren’t able to help me so I took it to the store.  They were unable to help me as well.  The device was clearly defective.  They were unable to give me a new one.  Instead I was told I had to wait to have a replacement box delivered, return my defective tablet and then wait for a new one. 

I reached into my purse and . . . no billfold! I knew I had it on Tuesday night when I had dumped the contents of my purse at the restaurant but hadn’t seen it since then.  Did I leave it at the restaurant?  Where else could it be?  And me with no internet to check my bank accounts and credit cards.  I racked my brain to remember every step of the last two days.  I called the restaurant and, no, it wasn’t there.  I called my bank – no suspicious activity, called my credit cards – no suspicious activity.  I put a temporary hold on my credit cards while I searched for my bill fold.  I called a friend I had visited the day before to see if I could have left it there.  No answer, she wasn’t home.

At this point when I got the call from the doctor’s office with the results from my ultrasound, I was tempted to not answer and wait until the next week when maybe things would be looking up.  With the way my luck had been this week, who knew what she would say.  Nothing serious, she said, but she wanted me to see two specialists, which was precisely why I didn’t want to see a doctor in the first place.

Then my friend called and, yes, she had found my billfold which must have fallen out of my purse and onto the floor under her coffee table.  And so the tide had turned - the first good news all week.  My car is still in the shop.  I am still without internet and I have a round of doctor visits ahead of me, but my billfold is secure, my identity and financial accounts remain my own and all is right with the world.  March Madness is followed by April Fool’s Day; Holy Week gives way to Easter.  It's better to laugh than to cry.  Happy Easter!

Your Friend,

                                                                        Ethel

                                                                        Vista Grande Boca

Have you ever had days like these, or weeks or even months, when your life has taken a downward turn and you keep thinking, hoping, you’ve hit bottom, time for things to start looking up?  We’ve all gone through our negative patches at times.  Certainly the last few days of Jesus life weren’t the best.  He didn’t die peacefully at home, surrounded by loved ones, but died alone on a cross, a spectacle for all to see.  Perhaps he hoped against hope that something would happen, that things would turn around and he would be rescued in the nick of time; that his Father would reach down from the clouds and take him from the cross as he knew God could.  But it didn’t happen.  He had to go through the cross to get to the resurrection, but what a glorious resurrection that was.  The Messiah King was finally restored to his throne, not an earthly throne but a heavenly throne. 

Our psalm for today is the victory hymn of a king.  He has proven victorious in battle, has overcome his enemies so that now all nations are subject to him.  Jesus, through his cross and resurrection, has proven victorious over death, alleluia!  The armies of the enemy cannot prevail.  Satan can do his worse, while on this earth it may seem like he is winning at times, but he will not prevail as long as we remain faithful.

While on this earth, we have troubles, but those who persevere in faith will be rewarded.  The indigestion of today will give way to feasts on the mountaintop, as we see in Isaiah, where we will be able to eat our fill with no negative effects.  While on this earth, we experience the effects of death in our bodies as we lose abilities we once had.  We experience the loss of loved ones, friends, family members who have died.  While on this earth we are limited indeed.  We are dependent on cars, trains, planes, boats for transportation.  It can be very frustrating when those do not work.  But Jesus came to let us know that this life is not all there is. 

In the next life, death will be no more.  We will see again those we have loved and lost.  We will be able to run, even fly, our feet will be as swift as a deer’s, like a mountain goat we will be able to climb great heights, walk on the edge of cliffs.  Our feet will be sure, we will not stumble or fall, as our psalm tells us (33,36).  The psalm speaks of the greatness of our king.  We as his followers share in that greatness, but we also share in his suffering while on this earth.  It is through the cross that we get to the resurrection, but oh, what a glorious resurrection that will be.  So let us keep the faith, fight the good fight, following under the banner of Jesus, Christ our King.

Robertson, copyright April 2012