He Leads Me Beside the Quiet Waters

I took this picture just a short walk from our house.  I just love it.  It seems so peaceful.  It reminds me of Psalm 23.

"1  The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,

3 he restores my soul.   He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me;  your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.  You anoint my head with oil;  my cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."

I share this because it reminds me of a patient that I have been seeing in the hospital.  A young man with a very large mass under his left arm.  We were actually hoping it was from TB because we could actually DO something about that.  You know, that's what we doctors like is being able to DO something.  Unfortunately, this man does not have TB.  Doesn't that sound strange?  What this means for him is that the large mass is likely an inoperable cancer.

Fortunately for him, we know the Great Physician and now he does too.  We had one of our chaplains counsel and pray with him and tell him about Jesus.  He is now our brother in Christ.  Though he walks through the valley of the SHADOW of death, he can do so in peace knowing that his SAVIOR has already walked through death and lived to tell about it.

Dr. Luke writes, "there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."  We rejoice with the angels over this child who has come to know the LORD.  As Christians, we don't always see the fruits of our laboring for our Master, but when we do, it makes the labor sweeter.

Following . . . .