Thy Rod Comforts Me

Recently a devotional (I am not sure which one or it may even have been a sermon) I read a while back has been crossing my mind. I just finished reading through Proverbs, a book so full to the brim with wisdom, and noticed the similar references to the "rod" of discipline. Like Proverbs 10:13, 13:24, 14:3, 22:8, 22:15, 23:13, etc... are all about disciplining children or fools for the decisions they make without Godly wisdom.

Well, a devotion of some sort took that on a journey back to Psalm 23, and I do not know if others discovered this already before, but it was all new to me. When in verse 4 of Psalm 23 the psalmist says, "thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me," I always thought he was referring to something he carried in his hands, like earthly weapons of a sort. I have to admit, in my lack of knowledge, I did not quite understand it, but I accepted it for that.

Now, I have a totally transformed view of that verse. The rod the psalmist is speaking of is God's own disciplining hand. It is not that I am protected physically from physical harm with earthly weapons, but made fully prepared to fight spiritual evil and dark forces. They are ever against me, and the comfort the psalmist talks about makes so much more sense now.

Although it does not seem like it at the time of discipline, God is refining us through trials and hardships. When I read Proverbs, I find myself in fear of the rod. But when I read Psalm 23, I find myself comforted by it - and that is how it should always be.

Discipline me Lord! Never let me turn away from you!! How easily my heart will falter...

Jeremiah 29:11-14: "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,' declares the LORD, 'and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,' declared the LORD, 'and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you.'" **

**Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible Footnote: "These verses echo Deuteronomy 30:3-5 (which is similar to Dt 4:29-30)."

Deuteronomy 30:3-5 (verses 1 and 2 added for context): "When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come upon you and you take them to heart wherever the LORD your God disperses you among the nations, and when you and your children return to the LORD your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you. Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the LORD your God will gather you and bring you back. He will bring you to the land that belonged to your fathers, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers."

Deuteronomy 4:29-30 (verses 27, 28, and 31 added for context): "The LORD will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the LORD will drive you. There you will worship man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell. But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the LORD your God and obey him. For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath."

I had returned to the Jeremiah passage one morning last week when I had doubts about a decision I was making in my life. This time I looked at the study notes in my Bible and decided to take the time to look up the Scripture references. After reading the two Deuteronomy passages, I noticed something and thank the Lord for opening my eyes and heart to this reminder of His sovereignty.

"I have banished you..." "...curses I have set before you..." "The LORD will scatter you..."

In each passage it is made very apparent that not only will the Lord plan our steps with blessings, but also with curses, banishment, and scattering. I have many moments in my Christian walk where I fall away from reading the Word and begin serving my own interests. I feel scattered and alienated from my brothers and sisters in Christ. On my heart is the weight of sin...curses. I lose sight of turning to God, but it was always in His plan. I used to find it very tough to look back on those times. I felt it was better to erase it all from my memory. These verses remind me of God's hand in all we do, whether Christ-like or worldly. Besides, He promises:

"When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the LORD your God and obey him. For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath."

Praise the God of Hope! Amen!
His beautiful mercy washes over us. He is a keeper of promises of old and will be a keeper of promises yet to come!