The closing verse of the 23rd Psalm starts out . . .

The closing verse of the 23^rd Psalm starts out: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me ….”  However, in the original Hebrew, the verb is even more forceful.  It literally reads, “goodness and mercy shall pursue me.”  That is, goodness and mercy will not only accompany us through life; if need be, they will run after us and chase us down.

This raises an interesting question.  Are the blessings we enjoy in life things that will just come to us, if we are patient enough to wait for them?  Or do we need to get out there and “grab the gusto,” so to speak, in order to claim our share of the good life?  It may actually be a combination of both.

Clearly, there are some blessings that will only be ours if we put in the time and effort.  An athlete who relies solely upon talent and physical ability, but rarely ever trains, probably isn’t going to be winning a gold medal any time soon.  The newlyweds who decide to put their marriage on autopilot, thinking that mutual attraction will keep them together, probably isn’t going to be staying together very long.

Notice that the verse doesn’t say that fame and fortune will pursue us.  If you want those things, then you need to work at it.  Neither does it say that being a loving spouse, or a good parent, will just come to you.  Those, too, require a little effort on our part.

But goodness and mercy are different.  In the context of this psalm, goodness is defined as being at peace with yourself and the world around you.  Mercy is understood as the experience of being forgiven, of receiving something that you couldn’t have earned and might not even deserve.

Those are blessings that you can’t find by chasing after them and scurrying here and there.  You will only discover them by slowing down, taking a deep breath, clearing your mind of needless distractions, and allowing the experience of being at peace, and of being forgiven by God, to come and embrace you.

Remember, the Almighty never told us, “Keep running and know that I am God,” or “Stay busy and know that I am God.”  What the Almighty tells us is “Be still and know that I am God.”