Joy Amid Troubles

A joyful heart is good medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones. (Proverbs 17:22 NAS)

I must admit I am not exactly the kind of guy who laughs at a joke or see things with a sense of humor. But when I received an email with an article titled ‘Psalm 23 for the Information Age’ by an unknown author, I could not help but chuckle at what was written.

The Lord is my programmer, I shall not crash.
He installed His software on the hard disk of my heart.
All of His commands are user friendly.
His directory guides me to the right choices for His name's sake.

Even though I scroll through the problems of life,
I will fear no bugs, For He is my backup.
His password protects me.
He prepares a menu before me in the presence of my enemies.
His help is only a keystroke away.

Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life
And my file will be merged with His and saved forever.

Amen.

This ‘psalm’ is of course NOT an attempt to modify God's word! It is simply a hypothetical funny presentation from a creative mind. In a sense, there are some lessons we can learn from this adapted version of the psalm.

Our Lord is the ‘programmer’ who knows the plans He has for us to prosper us and not to harm us, to give us hope and a future. His word is stored in our hearts, and His yoke is easy. His Spirit guides us to make the right choices (Jeremiah 29:11; Psalm 119:11; Matthew 11:30; John 16:13).

Even if we are going through tough times or walking through the darkest valley, we need not fear because God is always behind and before us; His angels protect and guard us. He provides for us even amid trying times in the presence of our foes. God is always near to help us (Psalm 139:5; Exodus 14:19; Psalm 23:4; Psalm 91:5-16; Psalm 145:18).

Surely, God's goodness and love will follow us all the days of our lives as we abide in the Lord and He in us, for in Him we are saved forever (Psalm 23:6; John 15:4, 7; 1 John 5:11-12).

Dear Lord, grant us a joyful heart even amid troubled times and desperate need. Help us who are struggling remain thankful and grateful to You, and to continue to trust in You. Refresh our spirit with a joy overwhelming regardless the circumstances we are in. Guide us by Your Spirit and Your word to make right choices. Protect and guard us from our foes. Let Your goodness and mercy follow us all the days of our lives as we continue to abide in You and Your word, just as You abide in us.