The Lord is my Shepherd
I establish the teachings of Jesus Christ as the guiding principles in my daily life. There is a lot of material and resources on spirituality, self-help, professional and personal success. This is all good. By declaring that the Lord is my shepherd, whatever I take from this material should enrich my understanding of Jesus’ teachings.
I shall not want
I have everything that I need. There is no lack or limitation in the Universe. There is enough for everyone and more to share with others. With the Lord as my shepherd, I live abundantly – knowing that I am protected, supported, guided and fulfilled in every way. I know this to be true for me and for other people too. Therefore, there is no place for jealousy, greed or comparison with other people. I gratefully receive and I joyfully give.
He lets me lie down in green pastures
Meditation and deep reflection on Jesus’ teachings are critically important for daily living. This is my daily commitment.
He leads me beside the still and quiet waters
Whenever God’s will is revealed to me, I am at peace. But allowing God’s will to be revealed requires me to be still and to wait patiently through the daily practice of prayer and meditation.
He refreshes and restores my soul.
Through honest admission to God, I acknowledge my failures, hurts and unforgiveness. This is how I leave myself open to receive His loving restoration of my soul to the peace and love that were instilled in me when God created me. My life is better, and I am at peace when I choose the way of love. This is because God enables me to forgive, to heal, to start again. In this way I am focused on my highest good and the highest good of others.
He leads me to the path of righteousness for His Name sake
Through restoration, I understand that I have a responsibility to maintain a right relationship with God. I surrender to His guidance and direction in my daily life. My right relationship with Him is evident in my relationships with other people and in my respect for all of God’s creation. God is glorified. In all I do, I am a witness to God’s goodness working through me.
Even though I walk through the (sunless) valley of the shadow of death
I cannot fool myself into believing that I will not encounter any difficulties in life. There are times when it seems as though God is silent and is not listening to me. Or, is it that I am not listening to God? Could it be possible that I, on my own, have chosen to walk away from the path of righteousness and I have ended up in a dark place, outside of the will of God?
I will fear no evil for You are with me
Wherever I am, and however I got there, the Lord is still my Shepherd. I go back to prayer and meditation where I find His peace that passes all understanding. I affirm that I am in the serene presence of God. I release fear and anxiety and surrender to the Wisdom of uncertainty as I walk in the dark. I know for sure that the valley is a shadowy place, so there must be Light close by.
Your rod (to protect) and your staff (to guide), they comfort and console me.
I am reminded that throughout the Bible, the rod is used as a metaphor for guidance and protection. This protection is not only from the harm that others may do to me. The rod of protection is also meant to keep me on God’s path of righteousness, in a right relationship with Him. If I am corrected through karma, or through the justified criticism of someone else, I am comforted by the thought that this experience is God’s way of leading me to my highest good.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
In every negative experience, there is a lesson and a blessing. I direct my energy towards putting my lessons into practice, so I have no desire or time for revenge towards my enemies. This is how I attract my good to me and to all things concerning me. My enemies may notice this and maybe they are blessed too! Alleluia!
Surely goodness and mercy an unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life
I am convinced that everything I experience in life, leads me to my highest good, which is God’s unfailing love. With the Lord as my Shepherd, all things work together for my good – disappointments, joy, failure, success, lack, prosperity. I make a commitment to stand in faith and with courage in all circumstances. Therefore, I seek God’s guidance to take me through and to let me understand all that I need to know, to be and to do.
And I will dwell forever (throughout my days) in the House and in the presence of the Lord.
Because God dwells within me, I will consciously honor His presence in my life for as long as I live. This is my daily mantra: I am in the serene presence of God. All is well.
Christ in me is the hope of glory. That’s why glory matters.
Glory Matters 