A friend once shared a tool she used for meditating on Scripture. After reading a verse, she would go back and concentrate on each word separately. She used Psalm 23 as an example. The Lord is my Shepherd.
The...Specific item. Not some or any, but the one and only
Lord...One in charge, overseer, master, etc
is...not was or will be, but right now
my...personal, not your's, their's, or ours, but mine
Shepherd...tender of the flock, protector, etc
I think you get the picture.
A year or so ago I was using this method on this same Psalm. When I got to "surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life" an interesting picture entered my mind--not a vision, more of a random thought about something following me. Of course, I have come to learn that thoughts are not necessarily random.
I thought of my children when they were still living at home. If I were gone for any length of time, I could always tell what had gone on in my absence by simply observing their tell-tale trails. Bread crumbs on the counter, school books and papers on the sofa, and towels on the bathroom floor told me of after school snacks, interrupted homework, and post track-practice showers. All these signs followed them around the house.
My mind than made a quantum leap to wondering what kind of things follow me in my life, not my crumbs, books, and towels, but my words and actions. Do I leave a trail of goodness and mercy? I certainly don't want any angry words, negativity, jealousy, un-forgiveness, or judgmental attitudes strewn behind.
I want the touch of the Shepherd following me.
Walking through life surrounded by the Shepherd's goodness and mercy. May I give his touch to others,
Jan, Licorice, and family
(She's not happy I won't let her outside today. I let her out yesterday, but she ran across the road. Bad cat)
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