The psalm from the Revised Common Lectionary for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, April 25th, is one of the most popular passages in all of the Bible, Psalm 23 which says..
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest 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 for ever.
Christ is risen! Did you know Easter is more than a single day? Easter is a season of the Christian year that emphasizes the risen Christ living in our midst for 50 days! We are living now in the season of Easter— a season of new life and resurrection. The season of Easter reminds us of a foundational Christian belief that Christ is alive and present with us even now. I wonder how you have experienced the presence of God in this Easter season. We talk about it a lot, God’s presence, God being with us, but what does this really mean? Psalm 23 provides a good answer.
Psalm 23 is a passage of scripture that is so well known. In fact, I’m sure most people have it memorized. The opening line, “the Lord is my Shepherd” paints a clear picture of the divine-human relationship in which God leads, protects, and cares for humanity. These words also provide a foundation for our understanding of God’s presence, God’s being with. God is with us as the good shepherd is with the sheep guiding, protecting, and providing paths of righteousness that lead to the life that really is life.
There is however much more to the presence of God than this gentle picture of a comforting shepherd, than these words that we all know by heart. God is present beyond the words on the page. This God who we worship was nailed to the cross on our behalf. This God we worship died for us and then showed us that death is not the end. Psalm 23 addresses this. Facing death, the psalmist reminds us that there is no need to fear for God is with us in the shadowed valley. God is our companion always. And when our journey in this life is complete, God is present to graciously welcome us home our heads anointed with sweet oil.
Christ is risen! Christ is alive! Christ is with us!
John Wesley was a minister in the Church of England. He was incredibly gifted, highly intelligent, and had high expectations for himself and his ministry. As a young man, he was sent as a missionary to Savannah, Georgia. When things didn’t go as he had planned, he traveled back to England viewing himself and his ministry as a failure. He was depressed and had grown cynical and jaded. Then Wesley was invited to a prayer meeting, a worship service that he didn’t want to attend. Unwillingly he went to the service and it changed his life. Wesley wrote in his journal describing the service: "while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.” Wesley’s testimony is a reminder that God’s presence is something we feel and know. He witnesses to its power to affirm to our inmost self that we are loved and forgiven. Wesley felt the assurance the psalmist described. “For thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."
The good news is that we are not alone. God is with us. The 50 days of this Easter season are a reminder as is the testament of John Wesley and the witness of Psalm 23. I invite you this week to make Psalm 23 your prayer, recite it to yourself as a reminder of God’s presence. Christ’s presence is so profound it may best be explained through poetry, and Psalm 23 is about as beautiful as it gets. Our cups runneth over, a table is prepared, our souls are restored beside still waters, and the Lord is indeed our shepherd.