God's Peace for Moms (Psalm 23)Sample

“Surely Goodness and Mercy”

I’ll admit - I avoid driving on the highway whenever I can. Living in a big city, there are many points on the highway where it feels ten different options are offered to me… exits on the right, exits on the left, merges into other highways. I’ve made the mistake many times of exiting onto an HOV fast lane that has no exits and takes me twenty minutes past my house. The point is, it can be extremely anxiety-inducing knowing every option leads to a different destination, and only one is right.

Psalm 23, however, shows us that this is not the case with God. With God as our shepherd, every path leads only to him.

In Psalm 23:6, the Psalmist David says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” Let’s turn our attention to the two qualities the Psalmist identifies: goodness and mercy. “Goodness” denotes that which is pleasant or beautiful. “Mercy” can also be translated “steadfast love,” and this is the word Scripture uses of God’s love as it relates to his loyal relationship with his people. So here we essentially have the relationship (mercy) and the blessings of the relationship (goodness) that David says will follow him all the days of his life.

In our own journeys, we can be assured that the purpose of God’s shepherding is always to lead us deeper into a relationship with him and the blessing that comes from knowing him. Both through green pastures… a sweet moment of connection with your child or the joy of a growing family… and through dark valleys… the frustrations and struggles of motherhood or the silent mental battles being fought… in it all, God’s goodness and mercy accompany us.

Today, take heart in remembering this: even when you can’t see it, every path is purposed by God to lead you closer to him.