Thursday, June 26, 2014

My Shepherd Will Supply My Need

So I said my nightly prayer before I went to bed tonight and I was just kinda fumbling my thoughts, my words. Eventually I realized, "Heavenly Father, I really just don't have anything to say to you right now." And I realized that was okay. I basically just kept kneeling there and heard something along the lines of "It's okay if you don't talk to Me, but maybe you should listen to Me instead." 
This is hard to do. For any reason, I took as a prompting to end my prayer and literally listen to Mormon Tabernacle Choir as I laid in bed. I don't listen to them often, but I sincerely like them. Mack Wilberg's arrangements can be pretty exhausted at times, but when he nails it, he nails it.
Anyways,my favorite arrangement from him is probably for 'My Shepherd Will Supply My Need,' a hymn fcreated by 18th century composer Isaac Watts. As I was just lying there with my eyes to the ceiling, I had this uplifting experience that was- yes, personal- but I felt as though I had to share. 
I recently sent an email to a friend on a mission and explained to her that I think Christianity is very corny. I don't like corny things. But man, if God didn't speak to me tonight, I'm not sure who did. And He can speak to people through music. He can speak to people at midnight as they lie awake in bed. He can speak to people even if they were just thinking about apostate music and feeling a cyclical load of self-doubt just moments before. The Lord Jesus Christ is my stay, and specifically tonight, He supplied whatever it was I needed. I consider the fact that His Atonement fills all the empty gaps we have in our lives. Thanks, God.

I listened to the most amount of Mormon Tabernacle Choir when I was serving my 2 year LDS mission, a time where I must admit was covered in anxiety and depression and darkness. But I still did all the things I was supposed to do. My mental stress may have prevented me from some spiritual experiences then, but the lifestyle I lead prepared for spiritual moments later on in life. It was like even then when I was in North Vancouver and seriously considered driving the myself off the docks into the Pacific just to see what happens, God wanted me to stay up. And I did. 
Now here I am. I didn't send myself to the hospital on my 20th birthday. I'm 23. I'm up late at night listening to my favorite hymns and the Spirit is strong here; somehow crawling through my immature little mind and settling within me. I know that the Lord gives us what we need. Before everything else, I need to remember the first love I've ever felt: Knowing I am a child of God.
**"My Shepherd Will Supply My Need" (lyrics)**
My Shepherd will supply my need:
Jehovah is His Name;

In pastures fresh He makes me feed,
Beside the living stream.
He brings my wandering spirit back
When I forsake His ways,
And leads me, for His mercy's sake,
In paths of truth and grace. 

When I walk through the shades of death,
Thy presence is my stay;
A word of Thy supporting breath
Drives all my fears away.
Thy hand, in sight of all my foes,
Doth still my table spread;
My cup with blessings overflows,
Thine oil anoints my head. 
The sure provisions of my God
Attend me all my days;
O may Thy house be my abode,
And all my work be praise!
There would I find a settled rest,
While others go and come;
No more a stranger, nor a guest,
But like a child at home.


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