You Are With Me – May 4, 2023

For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
1 Peter 2:25

You Are With Me

Psalm 23 was originally written in Hebrew. It’s a gorgeous piece of poetry. One feature in many Hebrew poems is that the theme is in the middle of the poem. In Psalm 23 there are 26 Hebrew words before the middle verse and 26 Hebrew words after it. Right there in the middle, the theme of the poem, are the words translated as “You are with me.”

It can be scary for me to think of the Lord as someone who is with me. I am so bad so often it is embarrassing to realize that he sees all of that. In today’s Bible passage, the apostle Peter says that I act like a sheep who is stupid enough to leave the flock and go out astray on its own. Peter knew a thing or two about acting stupid in front of Jesus.

But Peter also knew a thing or two about repenting and returning to Jesus. He calls Jesus the Shepherd and Overseer of his soul and not just his soul but mine too.

When I realize that Jesus forgives me, his being with me is not scary anymore. Instead, his presence comforts me. I will fear no evil because he is with me. No accusation of conscience or of the devil is stronger than his presence. In fact, I really want him around when those guilty thoughts make me feel panicky and alone.

“You are with me” is the center and theme of Psalm 23. “You are with me” is the motto of my Christian life.

Prayer:
Be with me, Lord Jesus. I ask you stay close by me forever and love me. Amen.