The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Psalm 23:1**
I didn’t know I needed a shepherd, until I heard You were a shepherd and this Truth answered a life-question for me.
I wasn’t meant to be my own guide. And, You. You shepherd my independent heart into knowing dependence. You cut through my overly-stalwart frame and see my weak insides and invite me to receive.
I adore You, Shepherd, with Your strong arms to save and to heal and to make right all that is out of alignment within me.
You tend to parts of me that I didn’t even know need tending, and by that touch I am awakened to love.
I find rest under Your care because when I am with You I am at home. Your care is my homestead. Under Your watch I come alive. I breathe. Fear cannot exist in Your presence and, without fear, my life sits at holy rest.
Your shepherding restores me to who You intended me to be.
You shepherd both my wildly independent and desperately needy parts. Your shepherding covers all. It is like a blanket around my cowardice that promises transformation.
I become like You when I sit under the shade of Your shepherding.
I adore You, safe Father. Safe Shepherd.
Your careful hands, they guide me.
I lean and am led and my body sighs the relief for which circumstances cannot give me. You assure, just by who You are … but then You give me Your Word to confirm that assurance. You embody comfort and I find the steady cadence of a holy, other peace when my head rests against Your heartbeat.
You shepherd, softly, but strong.
You are just what I need.
My weakness doesn’t threaten Your power, it incites it. I can tuck in to Your holiness and find the safety that unties long-bound parts of me. Your shepherding changes me.
I have no want when I receive from You.
I adore You, my Shepherd.
I know relief under Your strength.
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**So what do I do with these posts, you ask, other than just read them? First, if you haven’t yet, read: Why I Adore and Morning Chai, Explained to give you a context for this little space on my blog.
If you are compelled, I invite you to participate. Set up a space and time in your own life to begin adoring. Over laundry or dinner dishes, on your commute to work, or in the wee morning hours — five or ten minutes is a great start. You can use the verse I list here every day or two as a launch pad for your own adoration. (Showing Up gives you some practicals.)
Then practice praise.
I promise your weary soul won’t regret it.
You can see all of the Morning Chai posts with this link: http://www.EveryBitterThingisSweet.com/posts/chai/ and you can easily subscribe to these devotional meditations as they are delivered, by using this feed: http://www.EveryBitterThingisSweet.com/posts/chai/feed or by entering your email address in the second box on the right-hand side.
And a note: Photos compliments of Mandie Joy. This girl has also set me up on instagram. Friends, it took several sittings for me to know exactly what that means and I still don’t quite get it …except, that you can now find updates and useful graphics on Instagram @everybitterthingissweet. Mandie keeps me in the 21st century.
