Thoughts on a Friday night

Psalms 23

The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want, (that's providence)

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures,

He leadeth me beside the still waters. (that's security)

He restoreth my soul, (that's spiritual fulfillment)

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake (that's guidance)

Yea though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil:

For thou art with me (that's protection)

Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me (that's assurance and chastening)

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies (that's a promise)

Thou annointest my head with oil

My cup runneth over

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever

-In this 23rd Psalm, David switches from describing our Lord (using the word "He"), in the first 3 verses of the chapter, to talking to our Lord (using the word "thou). This is a timely reminder to all of us - that we cannot tell people about our God and leave out talking to God Himself

-A preacher and a famous actor were asked to recite the 23rd Psalm in front of an audience. The actor went first. He recited the Psalm perfectly, and when he finished, his audience was in awe. The preacher went next, and when he had finished, his audience was in tears - No doubt, the actor knew the Psalm well, however..the preacher knew the shepherd very well.

Job 2:9-10

Then said his wife unto him,

Dost thou still retain thine integrity?

Curse God,

And die

But He answered and said unto her

Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh.

What?

Shall we receive good at the hand of God,

And shall we not receive evil,

In all this did not Job sin with his lips

-A day after attending the blood drive at Jurong last Saturday, I fell ill, and here I am, still symptoming away nearly a week later. It isn't easy going for lectures and doing tutorials with a stuffed up nose and general lethargy. But lets remember that God allows evil, pain and suffering in this world because He knows we would tend to forget Him if we were free from all these. Moreover, evil, pain and suffering is a result of personal wrong choices, or wrong choices which others have made. There is a purpose to all toiling and sufferings, and a good one at that. But amidst all these, let's not overlook the blessings which we've so richly been bestowed with. When we focus on the negative, the positive tends to get overlooked.