This weekend was a whirlwind of activity, travel, family, dance, music, and few minutes of respite. Worship for us was both in person and livestreamed, and those times of community, song, prayer, scripture, honor to our graduates, a wonderful sermon about decision-making by Pastor Jerry Klemm, and a season of intercessory prayer provided respite from the whirlwind we as a family experienced in two short days.
For hubby and myself, both in our eighties, it was exhausting. No less stressful, our littlest ones, Kaley and Emily danced their little feet off in two days of recitals. How they possibly could remember all the dances, I’ll never know. Then our Paul and Marry had two rehearsals to prepared for two exhausting concerts. We attended and volunteered, and Mary prepared girls for their performances and even danced as well.
So, I’m thinking this morning I need Psalm 23. It always refreshes me after times of stress, busyness, and too much responsibility. At least for us old folks, we do not face the additional stress of the last week of the school year and all that entails.
Joseph Gilmore wrote on of my favorite hymns based on Psalm 23. Do you need a moment’s respite to put things in the context of trusting God in all things? Here is this 1862 hymn. He knew nothing about inflation, gas prices, food shortages, and current news and culture shocks. He did, however, know about race relations and war. Perhaps the times of stress call us to think about “still waters” and God’s leading hand. It blessed me this day. Hopefully it will help put today in perspective for you.
1 He leadeth me: O blessed thought!
O words with heavenly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’er I be,
still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.
Refrain:
He leadeth me, he leadeth me;
by his own hand he leadeth me:
his faithful follower I would be,
for by his hand he leadeth me.
2 Sometimes mid scenes of deepest gloom,
sometimes where Eden’s flowers bloom,
by waters calm, o’er troubled sea,
still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me. Refrain
3 Lord, I would clasp thy hand in mine,
nor ever murmur nor repine;
content, whatever lot I see,
since ’tis my God that leadeth me. Refrain
4 And when my task on earth is done,
when, by thy grace, the victory’s won,
e’en death’s cold wave I will not flee,since God through Jordan leadeth me. Refrain
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