Surely Goodness and Mercy 

      "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." Even people that don't know scripture probably know that one. The 23rd Psalm is probably one of the most quoted scriptures. Students memorize it in Sunday school. It is read at funerals. It is used to comfort people facing difficult times. "Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil" (v4) Who can't find comfort in those words? "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies: thou annointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over." (v5) Again, comfort and peace in difficult times. 

      You have heard everything you can about this Psalm. You have probably learned about shepherds and the imagery that goes with that. You have heard about The Good Shepherd and all that means, have you paid attention to all of it? The psalms are full from beginning to end and you have to look at everything they contain. We can walk boldly into the valley of the shadow of death with the confidence that God's rod and staff will be there to comfort us. Wait, comfort us, not protect us? "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life..."(v6) What? Follow me? No, I need your goodness to go before me. God's goodness and mercy are to follow us wherever we go, not go before us. 

     We should leave behind goodness and mercy where we go, it doesn't go before us. Don't wait for God's goodness to go before, take it with you. Take it to places where it isn't. God's rod and staff will be there to protect you and comfort you, but you need to walk though the valley as goodness and mercy follow you.