He Restores My Soul

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

It had been a tough day.

All sorts of bad attitudes, bad thoughts, works of the flesh, were swirling around in me. I was feeding the old man more than I was feeding the new man. You know, the old "white wolf -vs.- the black wolf" thing. I.e, the one that wins is the one that you feed.

It's amazing how a microscopic seed of resentment can lie dormant under layers and years of life, and some foul spirit can come along and stir up bad feelings in your mind, and you pour gas on that flame until it becomes a raging fire of bitterness.

And once you begin to feed that black wolf—the old man—you open yourself up to all sorts of sin.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm really even saved.

Gotta get out of this house and go for a bike ride!

I took off heading west along the river near my house. I have a couple of favorite routes and it was refreshing to get out in the warm spring air and sunshine and clear my head. I had initially planned to ride a longer distance, but something stopped me at a spot where I caught a big brown trout the year before. So I parked my bike and walked it down to the edge of the river, looking for any rising trout. —Nada.

Talk about typical "dumb guy behavior." Here I was, desperately in need of fellowship with the Lord, but instead I was looking for fish, taking pictures of my mountain bike next to the river, and some interesting clouds. "Cool, these will look great on my Facebook page!" I thought.

There was only one comfortable rock to sit on that I could find next to the water. As I got my fill of picture taking and looking at the clouds and water, I let it out and begin talking to God. Confessing my sins. Asking for His forgiveness. 

His Word promises:

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

Seems like I've been needing a lot of that lately... forgiveness of my sin and cleansing of all my unrighteousness.

And there it was.

Smack dab in the middle of my view.

The Cross.

And immediately, my heart was flooded with the peace and assurance that only Jesus the Savior can give. 

I AM forgiven! 

Jesus had died on this Good Friday, and then He rose again on Easter Sunday for me, and He has given me the gift of faith to believe in Him and receive Him as my Lord and Savior.

No coincidence indeed... that He led me to this particular rock, beside the still water, to restore my soul, and to point me to the Cross once again.

And it's absolutely no coincidence to me, that this happened to be on the exact same Friday, some 2,000 years after He had hung on a sinners Cross for me, on a dark and lonely hilltop, just outside the city of Jerusalem.

Just before He gave up His spirit on the Cross He proclaimed, "It is finished!" He made a way for me to come to the Father, through Him.

Here on this rock that Christ sat me on today, I could only see the cross if I looked directly in front of me. If I leaned to the right or the left, the trees obscured it from my view. Isn't it odd and amazing, that the only comfortable rock I could find to sit on, just happened to be strategically positioned for me to see the cross clearly!

I thanked God for bringing me here, for dying for me, for the gift of eternal life.

And then I rode home.

This special time of communing with Christ was life-changing. It was one of those pivotal moments in my life with Him where He drew me close, He met with me, and He spoke to my heart in a way that reminded me of His faithfulness, mercy, grace and everlasting love for me. He never changes. He is God.

And He is my Father.

Psalm 23

“The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

Yea, 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.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.”

     —Thank You Lord.
—God is Love, and Love Never Fails.