"The same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call upon Him." - Romans 10:12

Have you prayed for something or over a circumstance for a while now and because you have not seen an answer, you began to be doubtful that there was even an answer?  Perhaps, in your mind,  your limitations have become God's limitations.   But as Romans says, our God abounds in riches for all who call upon Him.  Therefore, let us pray knowing that our own needs will never exhaust God's resources, for He abounds in riches for all.  And dear one,  you fall into that category of all!

Psalm 23

    

 "...Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." - Psalms 23:4

I love this psalm, it has always been a healing balm for my soul in so many different seasons.  But this part has always left me somewhat perplexed, and perhaps it's because of the interpretation I have commonly heard on it; that shepherds use their staff to correct or discipline the sheep, and yank the sheep back from jumping off a cliff to their death.  I don't know about you, but to me, those attributes don’t quite bring the same sort of comfort to me as the rest of the psalm.  

Then one day I was faced/confronted with seeing, for the first time since I was a little girl, a man who done to me a wrong, that was evil even in the eyes of thieves and robbers.  I sat across the room frozen in my seat, as the sense of being a little helpless girl washed over me; steeped with emotion yet paralyzed with fear and shock as he glanced over and threw a mocking look my way.  The Lord brought this Psalm to mind and as I eagerly turned there in my Bible, I read that phrase and was flooded with comfort, peace and security.  Eyes filled with tears, I felt the Lord almost audibly say to me, “My rod is there to ward off anyone who would try and harm, intimidate and frighten one of My sheep.  I use the staff to guard and protect you from any evil that comes in to steal, kill or destroy.  My rod and My staff, they are there to comfort you.” 

It was there that I realized what that verse meant, His rod and staff bring me comfort knowing no matter what comes against me, He who is greater stands guard over me.  When I am overcome with fear of evil that confronts me, when the enemy tries to intimidate me and shame me back into slavery by bringing up my past, God raises His staff against him and with a authority that only The Almighty has and commands him to leave. 

The Almighty God who reigns in heaven, Redeemer of every past and all that may have been stolen, it is He who shepherds over me and who shepherds over you.  I sat in amazement at this thought and let His perfect peace cast out my fear and it was as if my heart said back to Him,

“Your rod and Your staff, O Lord, they comfort me.”