Doug’s Take on the 23^rd Psalm   

           On many occasions I have read the 23^rd Psalm to him. One time when I started reading to him I said “The Lord is my Shepherd.” Before I could get to the next part he said “I shall not want.”

         When I got to the part that says “He restores my soul” I asked “Doug, what do you think that means?” His response, “I’m safe.” Another time I asked him the same question when I got to the same section of the psalm. His response, “I’m well.” I was reminded immediately of the hymn “It is well with my soul.” The third time I read the same portion to him and asked him once again what it meant. His response, “He takes care of me.”

         I have heard many godly men teach and preach on the 23^rd Psalm, read many wonderful books about its power to change our lives but I have never heard a more simple yet profound explanation of that power than the one Doug gave me. When we are allowing our Good Shepherd to “take care of us” we will realize “we are safe, it is well with us no matter what is going on in our lives, and we shall not want.” On the other hand when we choose to control our lives we will come to the same realization that the prodigal son came to, “we shall be in want” (Luke 15:14).