Psalm 23:6 
Surely your goodness and love will follow me 
all the days of my life, 
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord 
forever. (NIV)

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Our daily Bible reading plan is focused on the Exodus journey from slavery in Egypt to the land God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. As the old hymn says, “Through many dangers, toils, and snares,” the Israelites traveled at God’s pace toward that sacred space. 

The Psalm accompanying today’s chapters in Exodus is Psalm 23. It is a perfect text to complement the Israelite’s trek. The shepherd boy who became the shepherd king gives us the kind of bottom line we love to hear and ponder. The final verse says,

Surely your goodness and love will follow me 
all the days of my life, 
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord 
forever.

There’s nowhere we will ever go in this lifetime where God is not present. He surrounds us with his goodness and love every day of our lives. He invites us to take up residence in conscious awareness of his grace and mercy. He provides everything we require for our journeys. 

How do we access and experience his presence, power, and provision? My coworker Becky has an acrostic that answers this question.

H – Hunger: God fills those who hunger and thirst for more of him.
E – Expect: Expect God to be with you anywhere and everywhere.
A – Acknowledge: Acknowledge his presence and thank him for never abandoning you.
R – Respond: Live with courage and confidence in whatever circumstances you find yourself.
T – Trust: Trust God from the bottom of your heart (Proverbs 3:5, 6). Receive his gift of eternal life. Follow him as your Shepherd and King, your Savior and Lord. 

Practicing the presence of God, as Brother Lawrence (Look him up.) says, illuminates our way and our work. It turns ordinary moments like emptying the dishwasher and turns them into opportunities to see God’s gifts that last for weeks, months, and years, as well as those that come to us day by day. He is the Giver of all these good things. 

Sleet, snow, freezing rain, and deep cold are on the way today. I can’t wait to burrow into our humble home and enjoy the peace, quiet, and presence of our Lord all weekend. What a Sabbath rest it will be! Also, I am praying now that no trees or branches fall onto our humble home and that the electricity remains constant. 

Whatever the eventuality over the next few days, we know that God will never forsake us. He will not abandon us. We will see his mercy and grace, his kindness and goodness displayed in a thousand different ways. 

Let us enter into this uncomfortable season hungry for more of our God, expectant of seeing him at work in us and around us, acknowledging his presence, responding with courage and confidence, and trusting him from the bottom of our hearts. 

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I will trust God to bring us through this storm because he is the LORD whose voice the storm clouds obey. 

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Our Father, more of you; less of me. I anticipate your guidance and goodness along the way. I will declare your name as you do what only you can do. I will follow where you lead. I will trust you in all things at all times. Amen.