The other day I was talking with a good friend of mine who’s a nurse. She was disclosing her personal fears of her job during this pandemic. Even though she acknowledged that God was giving her more of His peace during this time (yay!), I couldn’t help but notice how often she said that she, and many healthcare workers, felt alone and unsupported (primarily by the hospital).
Since I have been meditating on Psalm 23 lately, all that could feel rise up in me were these words: “Even when you’re treating a patient with COVID, He is with you. You’re never alone– and that’s simply the best thing!”
Let’s pause and read Psalm 23:
The Lord is my Shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for His name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
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 anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely Your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
I love David’s deep revelation of the nearness of God. Not only does David proclaim: “I will not fear, FOR YOU ARE WITH ME,” but I can also see God’s faithful presence as the theme throughout this entire passage!
I am in a time where I have to dig my heels into His faithfulness and closeness or I will grow weary, burdened, and lonely in all of this social isolation. I pray that you will also experience this deep revelation! It is in times like these that I especially think of people like my grandparents, who are not allowed to have visitors. I pray that they will experience the nearness and comfort of God. Can you think of anyone in your life who needs this prayer?
Church, let’s be a family that intercedes for those who desperately need to experience the closeness of our Heavenly Father in this season – the sick, the exhausted, the lost, the strained, the downtrodden, the anxious, the lonely… and the list goes on.
Let’s pray against the enemy’s weapon of loneliness. The enemy wants to deceive us to think that Netflix, Instagram, eating, cleaning, keeping busy, Facetiming, etc. is the cure to loneliness. Lies! Let Psalm 23 remind you that the Lord is our Shepherd, our comforter, our protector, and most of all – He is near!
Here are a few things you can do this week:
Meditate on Psalm 23 over and over again. Etch it into your heart.
Intercede. Pray Psalm 23 over someone who really needs it right now.
Have fun. Use your imagination and envision the table God has set before you (v. 5). Imagine your Heavenly Father there with you. Imagine His loving eyes and kind smile. In silence and solitude, feel the closeness of the Holy Spirit through this exercise.
Psalm 23 is not only beautiful, but it is our anthem for victory during this time. It is my anthem, your anthem, and the anthem we need to sing over our world.
Love,
Kristann