Psalm 23:

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

2     He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

3     he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

    for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk

    through the darkest valley,

I will fear no evil,

    for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

    they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me

    in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

    my cup overflows.

6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me

    all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

    Forever.

Reflection:
Ever since I was a small child, my relationship with my grandmother was incredible. I used to go over to her house almost every day after school. We’d play, go fishing, cook, watch Jeopardy, and so much more. I even lived there for part of my childhood. My grandmother was my best friend, and I’d do everything with her. This happened from ages 6-16.

However, in August of 2019, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. I was devastated. To see what cancer could do to someone and how it could change them was one of the worst things ever. She battled through it to the best of her ability but eventually had to have a life-saving operation. The doctors did not know her chance of survival. I prayed a lot, but I also had many doubts. I battled with my own faith at this time and did not understand how a loving God could do this to one of the greatest and most loving people I had ever known. However, my grandmother made it through the surgery and is still recovering to this day. Things like this can be very difficult to grasp, but God is there to comfort you as this psalm says. He is always present in your life, even in “the valley of the shadow of death.”

Around the same time, I was told that I had to have two major surgeries in order to help me live a healthier life as an adult. There was a lot of stress, confusion, and pain in my life. I did not know what to think anymore. However, after witnessing grandmother’s successful surgery and my own decision to live a more fulfilling life, I chose to look for God instead of looking at the pain. I started to look for God in all things and change my attitude of hopelessness into one of positivity and kindness. I learned that you have to try and look for the good in all things and situations because if you spend too much time dwelling on all the stuff that’s not important you’ll run out of time and just get lost. 

The psalm says, “You have set a table for me in front of my enemies”. The Lord is offering us a grand life in him, even when we are surrounded by all hardship. Through the pain, there is the Lord. He is there waiting for us to choose him at “his table.” 

Prayer:
Dear God, thanks that you are with us even in the valley of the shadow of death. Thanks for inviting us to the table with you there. Help us to look for you and to choose you, and then teach us to trade our hopelessness for hope and kindness.