Why is there a Psalm 23?

This week I went to a district ministers retreat at Buffalo Mountain in Johnson City. It was a good chance to get away briefly and get focused. I was not feeling that at the time. With Labor Day and this retreat, it has given me a weeks worth of work to do in 2 days rather than four. I was not really looking that forward to it but it was really good. Sometimes I get caught up with all the things I have to do and I miss enjoying life. This retreat had worship, teaching and a chance to talk to other ministers.

In One of the worship services, the retreat leader preached "Why is there a Psalm 23?" I never heard a sermon like that before. She had heard that question from a former professor. He said there is a psalm 23 because there is a psalm 22. Psalm 22 is the psalm Jesus quoted from the cross when he felt forsaken from God. From time to time we feel like God forgets about us. Sometimes folks think God isn't on their side. That is why Psalm 23 reminds us that God is with us.

Psalm 23 is used a lot of funerals but it really is a psalm for the living rather than for the dead. Hear it from the Message:

"God, My Shepherd! I don't need a thing.
You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
You find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word, you let me catch my breath
and send me in the right direction."

I need quiet pools to drink from. I need to find places to refresh myself. After that talk, I went to see fellow Beeson Buddy Aaron Wymer who lived 12 minutes from the mountain to talk and visit. It was a refreshing pool.

This weekend Kate went with the kids to see her brother Kevin in Atlanta. They come back tomorrow night. I am alone in the house. Yesterday after I worked on the house, I watched a couple movies and read some. This morning I played my guitar and spend some time with God. I feel refreshed.

What pools of refreshment do you have, do you need to take. That is why we have Psalm 23; to encourage us that God is with us and that he is all we need.