Today's Scripture Reading (August 11, 2025): Psalm 23
I know, I should leave the Bible translation to the experts, but I
really think that they have slightly misinterpreted this verse. The New
International Version says that "God guides me," the King James
Version says that "God leads me," but I sincerely think the proper
translation of this Hebrew word is that "God brings me." Part of my
reasoning is that that is what a shepherd does, especially to a lamb who has wandered
off, which definitely describes me. A shepherd reaches out and brings the lost
lamb back into the fold.
Max Lucado tells a story of an invitation that he received to a
Christmas Party. The idea was unique; this was going to be a Christmas Cookie
party. The idea was that each guest would bring a plate of Christmas Cookies to
the party. The Cookies are your entrance fee. The cookies would be laid out on
a table, and punch would be served, but during the party, you would choose the
same number of cookies as you brought to take home. In other words, if you
brought a plate of twelve cookies, then you would pick up twelve different
cookies to take home with you. It was simple, except for one small problem.
Apparently, Max Lucado and I share something in common, who knew? Neither one
of us could bake a cookie if our lives depended on it. So, Max sent out an
email to everyone involved. It sounded like an excellent idea for a party, but Max
wouldn't be there because he couldn't pay the entry fee.
We are all invited to a party. It is going to be a phenomenal party; I
mean, the guest list is out of this world. If you have ever wondered if a big
fish or a whale swallowed Jonah, or maybe what it was like to be inside the
fish, you are in luck, because Jonah is going to be there. If you have ever
wondered what it was like for Peter in those moments and days after he denied
Christ, or maybe what he felt in that moment when he looked to the shore of the
Sea of Galilee and saw Jesus cooking breakfast, Peter is going to be there. If
you want to know the details about the fight between Paul and Barnabas, they
will both be there. If you want to know if there is any truth to my sermon on
Agabus at Pentecost, sorry if you missed it; he will be there to tell you that
I made it all up. Here is the problem. To get into the party, you have to be
walking along the right paths. It is what it means when we say righteousness:
being right. Now, I am a man, so everyone knows that that means that I am
always right, but you might be in trouble. (And, yes, if you can't tell, that
was what we call sarcasm.) Here is the truth, and I know this about myself. I
wouldn't know the right path if I tripped over one. Oh, I know sometimes,
almost by accident, I do something right. But that may not be a problem because
David says that my shepherd will bring me to the right path. It isn't anything
that I can do; it is what God will do for me, and He will do it for you.
Max didn't get an immediate reply to his email. But the word had spread,
because just before the party, this saintly little older woman from the church
brought him a plate of what Max calls "twelve circles of kindness."
He had his entry fee to the party, but it had nothing to do with him.
We are invited to the party, and we have the entrance fee, but the
entrance fee is unrelated to us. It is only because we have allowed God, our
Shepherd, to bring us to the right path. He has paid the entry fee for us to
come to the party. So, are you going?
Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Psalm 25
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