March 2
The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.
Psalm 23:1
In ancient times, when this psalm was written, those who heard these words would have instinctively known how significant the image of a shepherd was. A shepherd would protect and guide his sheep. A shepherd would lift them from dangerous places and carry them when they could not walk themselves. A shepherd would literally put himself between a dangerous predator and his sheep, placing himself in harm’s way for them. A shepherd’s job was to make certain that no sheep would be lost and that every one would make it back home safely. God is like a shepherd. God will do anything for us to help and save us. God wants none of us to be harmed or lost. With this kind of God we will not lack anything we need, no matter how hard the journey.
With you as my shepherd, caring God, I am reminded that I need never be lost. When I find myself confused and feeling alone, not certain which way to go, not sure if there is any hope, you come to carry and protect me. I am much better for that. Amen.
March 3
He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters.
Psalm 23:2
God wants to restore us – to a reinvigorated life, to renewed health, to reestablished hope and confidence. God promises us an opportunity to find rest and refreshment, to experience calm and serenity. Cancer can deplete and drain us completely. It can knock us down and disable us dramatically. But God’s desire for us is to be reassured and to be refreshed. God desires for us to have peace within our hearts and souls. God has created us to have a tranquil spirit no matter what our circumstances or situation. Turmoil and chaos are not what God has in store. But the soothing balm of God’s unending love is ours to inherit. May you feel that comforting relief today.
There are times when I am utterly tired and deeply worn down. It happens more than I wish. I need your help, dear God, to find relief and revival. Satisfy my thirst for rest and restoration. Amen.
March 4
He restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake.
Psalm 23:3
When your spirit is disquieted and when your heart is empty, be reassured that God wants to bring you back to life and revive you to an even better life. When you feel as if you have veered off into unsettling places and found yourself unsure and uninspired, be released from the worry that you will be lost forever. God reaches out to us. God reaches out to offer us a hand, a hand that will guide us in the best way, in ways we alone cannot imagine. When we entrust our souls to the One who created us out of love, we put ourselves in the ultimate position of connection to receive a better day, a brighter future of healing, wholeness and peace.
My own direction is often uncertain and I become distracted from the better places I need to be. So I look to you, God, as my guide and stay, to lead me back again. Amen.
March 5
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
Psalm 23:5a
Cancer is certainly a difficult enemy. But God is not intimidated by it. God is not about to let cancer stop love and grace from touching our lives. In fact, God looks into the face of cancer and confronts it head on. God takes everything God has to give and lays it out for us to have and enjoy. God confronts it by giving us courage. God confronts it by giving us stamina and strength. God confronts it by giving us the assurance that we are not alone in the journey. God confronts it by offering us others who love and care for us. God confronts it by reminding us we have been created for a future of hope and promise. God confronts cancer in more ways than we can ever truly know. Every time we encounter a blessing, a moment of grace or a healing touch, it is God confronting the enemy in our midst and offering us signs of comfort and new life.
I am grateful you are able to confront the enemy within me, O God. I am grateful you are able to face it and challenge it when I cannot. Your grace is a source of hope for me and I walk with greater confidence because it is. Amen.
March 6
…you anoint my head with oil;
Psalm 23:5b
God pours out for us healing relief in more ways than we can imagine. It comes in the form of those who love and care for us. It comes when our energy is restored and our hope is renewed. It comes when news is good. It comes in the form of determination, serenity and faith even when it’s not. It comes in the changes we are able to make, to create the circumstances where wellness is our way of life. It comes in a closer connection to God and God’s healing touch. It comes when our attitudes become increasingly more positive, when we can refocus our thoughts from negativity to possibility. It comes when we can envision a life of health instead of a life of sickness and disease. God is anointing us all with this healing relief. It is our challenge to see it, to know it and to accept it so that our spirit can help our bodies receive restoration.
I need this healing relief. I ask for your renewing touch, O God. I know I cannot find it on my own. But with your blessings I know I can find all that I need. Amen.
March 7
…my cup overflows.
Psalm 23:5c
God graces us with far more than we need. God loves us so much that we are presented with more opportunities for love, for joy, for hope and for peace than we can ever begin to imagine. God has created us for eternity and wants us to enjoy these blessings of eternity beginning even now. Yet we too often fail to recognize or accept God’s exceedingly generous gifts to us. Even when we are challenged by cancer we need to remember that God wants nothing more for us than to know the wonder of God’s infinite and gracious love. When we really pause to examine the goodness in our lives, we will soon begin to see how far the goodness extends. Soon we will see how abundant God’s offerings to us are. That can give us courage. It can give us strength. It can give us tremendous hope.
Generous and giving God, I can’t even begin to understand how much you offer to me. My heart does overflow with richness and gladness when I truly consider how much you love me. Thank you for caring for me in such an abundant way. Amen.
March 8
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, …
Psalm 23:6a
With God’s gracious care for us, we have nothing to worry about or fear. We are promised that no matter what may threaten us in this life, we have a God who wants only for us to know the glories of love and peace. Throughout all our lives we are promised that we can have more goodness than we can imagine. For the rest of our lives we are promised compassion, understanding and forgiveness. This is a tremendous blessing to us. God’s grace and protection will always follow us wherever we may go. Whatever life throws at us we can know that God walks right along with us every step of the way. Of this we can be assured. This we can always know.
To know that you will always be with me to show me your concern and kindness, O God, is a rich blessing to me. I am deeply grateful for your care and gentleness, that they are with me constantly and eternally. Amen.
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