A friend shared with me the other day, an illustration which a counsellor gave her when she was not in a good space. The counsellor told her to visualise a green grassy area in the distance, but getting there required a walk through some mud and rocky areas. To me, a very good illustration of persevering through life's bad patches, but something/Someone was missing.
This immediately made me think of Psalm 23 - ".even thought I walk through the deepest darkness I will not be afraid Lord, for you are with me - your shepherd's rod and staff protect me." What a wonderful promise! We are not alone in those darkest hours.
However, not only did this illustration remind me of Psalm 23, but it gave me insight into the reading of the Psalms, and so I have just checked out some of them again, this time visualising the situation referred to in the Psalm and what a difference that has made to my understanding of the Psalm.
Take Psalm 2 for example. "Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and his anointed....." I immediately see a modern day setting of the political leaders sitting around a huge table, discussing their plans. Now that may be far from the correct setting when the Psalm was written but is sure gives me a greater understanding of the meaning of the Psalm.
Another aspect I have adopted in reading the Psalms is looking at the text from God's point of view. I imagine God looking down at that table of people plotting together and laughing at their stupidity and the futility of their plans. Once again, that is not in the text but for a visual learner like me, it gives me a better insight into the sovereignty of God and that he really is still in control even though it may not always seem that way.
According to Google 65% of people are visual learners ( Google is always correct??????) so if this includes you, try visualising the Psalms and see what wonderful illustrations come to your mind.
This immediately made me think of Psalm 23 - ".even thought I walk through the deepest darkness I will not be afraid Lord, for you are with me - your shepherd's rod and staff protect me." What a wonderful promise! We are not alone in those darkest hours.
However, not only did this illustration remind me of Psalm 23, but it gave me insight into the reading of the Psalms, and so I have just checked out some of them again, this time visualising the situation referred to in the Psalm and what a difference that has made to my understanding of the Psalm.
Take Psalm 2 for example. "Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and his anointed....." I immediately see a modern day setting of the political leaders sitting around a huge table, discussing their plans. Now that may be far from the correct setting when the Psalm was written but is sure gives me a greater understanding of the meaning of the Psalm.
Another aspect I have adopted in reading the Psalms is looking at the text from God's point of view. I imagine God looking down at that table of people plotting together and laughing at their stupidity and the futility of their plans. Once again, that is not in the text but for a visual learner like me, it gives me a better insight into the sovereignty of God and that he really is still in control even though it may not always seem that way.
According to Google 65% of people are visual learners ( Google is always correct??????) so if this includes you, try visualising the Psalms and see what wonderful illustrations come to your mind.
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