The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,

he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

NIV

I have been given all I need, I am able to rest tranquilly, and now my soul is refreshed.

Goodness….that’s good stuff.

He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

NKJV

REFRESH.

RESTORE.

REVITALIZE.

REVIVE.

REINVIGORATE.

FORTIFY.

• 

I love a good massage. I love the whole environment…the atmosphere…the aura.

If you’ve never been for one, then FIRST, I highly recommend you make the splurge on one and SECOND, let me tell you about it.

My favorite massage is the kind where you need to make an appointment beforehand. The one you get in the mall is just fine, but the ambiance is missing from the experience there.

When I arrive at the designated place for my appointment, I am taken into a room that screams quiet (quite paradoxical, I realize): the lights have been dimmed, the workers speak in hushed tones, the music is quietly playing in the background without lyrics.

I sit silently in a cozy chair while I wait.

Softly, I am kindly approached by my person and escorted into a room where the table is prepared for me. This room is perfect in temperature (not too cool or too warm) and also dimly lit. There is a slight aroma of a calming oil filling the air and my senses.

I am left alone to position myself on the table under the tightly wrapped blanket that is warming the bed for my arrival.

After being introduced to the scent that most appeals to me, my person returns to the room and begins the massage.

The process is meant to soothe all my senses: vision through the removal of the fluorescent lights, auditory through the combined sounds of nature and instruments filtering into the room, touch (tactile) through the gentle pressure of warmed oils by a trained professional masseuse, and smell (olfactory) through the chosen scent of oil.

In the quietness of a room, my awareness of another sense comes into being: vestibular- sense of movement and balance. I am made conscious of where my head and body are in this space.

Through the sweeping motions of massage, tension exits my body- even if only temporarily. Through this well-crafted art, an emptiness is created that is quickly filled with contentment… ease… satisfaction.

Not one thing in the world has changed. Not one problem has lifted or been solved.

Yet,

when I slowly stand up when my time has been completed, I feel different.

Restored.

Revitalized.

Recharged.

Refreshed.

There is a sense of what was wrong has been made right inside of me.

Even if for a moment, I am whole again.

There is something to be said about feeling whole, isn’t there? There is beauty in being accepted, received, forgiven, and loved exactly for you are…

That acceptance is what allows our broken pieces to be put back together.

• 

What makes you feel broken?

Is it sin?

An illness or situation that brings you to your knees in weakness?

Shame that covers you like a heavy cloak?

Our Shepherd has covered it all with His love…and His love makes us whole in His presence…made new…restored…

Without this we would aimlessly wander.

Instead, we are placed on a path of His righteousness where we are neither wearied nor hurt and no longer in danger of wandering.

Haven’t you noticed that when we go off on our own merit, we are harried, hurried, stressed, uncertain, in conflict, and sometimes, in torment?

It is only through trusting in and obeying the directions given by the Shepherd that my soul is restored…that you are restored.

For His name’s sake we are empowered by the Spirit to stay the course and to remain where we are at rest in His fold; under His protection.

A massage may temporarily revitalize me physically and emotionally, but the Holy Spirit is who refreshes my soul….without an appointment…or ambiance…or soothing sounds and smells.

Though He may lead me down a path surrounded by suffering in others in ways that impact me directly…or one that allows hardship and illness to afflict me…following His right path always leads back to that place of tranquil rest: where I have all I need…where I am whole.

It is then that I am restored and refreshed. Once again, I am better able to confidently step back out on that righteous path where He is guiding me.

So…how good does having your soul refreshed and restored sound now?