Dominus regit me

aka Psalm 23:

"The Lord is my shepherd; *I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures *and leads me beside still waters.

He revives my soul *and guides me along right pathways for his Name's sake.

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil; * for you are with me;  your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me; * you have anointed my head with oil, and my cup is running over.

Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, *and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever."

The psalm today reminds me of my grandfather's funeral - none of you reading this would be surprised by that.  That is not exactly groundbreaking news as this Psalm is very popular for funerals (although it wasn't used at my grandfathers).  You also find it a lot in books and dramas when people are in dire need and scared beyond reason, reaching into their core for courage.  At our core of despair or weakness we find God.  When we let go of all pretense of being able to control our world and/or anything that happens to us in that world, we find God.  Always with us, never leaving us, standing with us, sometimes carrying us, leading us, guiding us, being our Shepherd.  God our Savior.

I have studied this psalm in bible study - fascinating study, will have to make sure I add the book to my resource list.  The study opened up the psalm for me in whole new ways.  Not long after I went on a women's retreat that used this psalm for lectio divina.  Powerful!  The words that stayed strong for me that day were "You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me;"  

I have worked with that verse a lot in the past year; wondering who "those" were.  Only to discover that "those" weren't who(s) as I first thought - "those" where what(s).  What are the chains that bind me?  What are the fears I hold on to that hold me back from being all that God has called me to be?  It is an interesting examination.  If we take a moment to stop looking at other people and how they effect our life and instead concentrate on ourselves for a moment a whole new perspective can be born.  

I had my church visit today and the sermon focused on the abundant life - not necessarily a life of prosperity as some would have us believe is a life of abundance.  But rather on The Abundant Life that God invites us into - the abundant life that asks to bless us as we stand vulnerable.  Vulnerable - to wipe off the image we present to the world for approval and sit with ourselves as who we truly are, all that we deem good and just and all that we clothe in shame or fear of being uncovered.  When I read "in the presence of those who trouble me" I imagine my fears personified.  I imagine each fear standing on the outside of the table (imagine the table from C.S. Lewis "Voyage of the Dawn Treader") as I have a chair pulled out for me at the head of the table and the table continues to be set abundantly.  I am with God, Three in One, Oneness as whole God.  And those that trouble me can not approach me, they just look on, in awe of the table, in awe of the Presence.  In this imagery I am peace and joy and love and I see "those" but I can't feel those.  I can only feel Wholeness and I am blessed in the knowledge of dominus regit me, my "Lord rules me." 

The Lord is my Shepherd and leads me into The Abundant Life.