daily java

Daily Java:

The LORD is my shepherd;
      I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
      he leads me beside peaceful streams.
   He renews my strength.
   He guides me along right paths,
      bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk
      through the darkest valley,
   I will not be afraid,
      for you are close beside me.
   Your rod and your staff
      protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me
      in the presence of my enemies.
   You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
      My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
      all the days of my life,
   and I will live in the house of the LORD
      forever. (Psalm 23)

Rare is the person who has not heard this psalm, at least in the old King James Version.

I suppose that the reason is that it answers a need, touches a chord that we all have: a need for the presence of God in our lives.

Few people really like being alone. The vast majority of people want to know that there is someone there, someone who cares for them, who loves them, who watches over them.

I read about the mountain men, and sometimes the lifestyle appeals to me. The idea of being by yourself, seeing beautiful country, independence.

But that independence comes at a price. The price is loneliness. Those men were truly alone. There was no one within miles of them who even cared that they lived, or loved them, or even noticed them.

I know in my life that my wife loves me. She cares for me on a level that even my mother doesn’t. But there will come a time when she is gone. There will come a time when it is probable that I will be by myself.

But I can know that even then, I will not be alone. The Lord will be with me. He will care, he will notice, he will love me.

All earthly relationships, no matter how good, will one day cease. But I can know that I will one day live in his house forever.

rainy night in georgia

Brooke Benton on the radio just now, singing Rainy Night in Georgia. Talk about a flashback.

1969. I am at Fort Gordon, Georgia. Army AIT, our training school. I had been drafted and didn't want to be there. In general, though, it wasn't that bad. I met people and made friends and did stuff. I was in great shape, of course and it wasn't one solid misery.

However, I wanted to be home.

It was raining, a miserable night in general. I was homesick, sitting looking out the window, wishing I was home with my girlfriend and my family. Just when I didn't think it could get any worse, Brooke Benton began to sing. A rainy night in Georgia, such a rainy night in Georgia. Lord, I believe it's raining all over the world.

And, you know, I believe it could very well be. It was sure coming down in my corner of  the world, sitting in an army barracks on a lousy army base, having to wear army clothes and eat army food.

I wanted to go home so bad. And every time I hear that song I get that feeling so bad again. Even though it has been 40 years, I can still feel the pull of that song, the feeling of being alone, and, at the time, so far from home. I didn’t realize I would go even further within the year, and over life.

But I did. And I lived through the rain that night and the intense loneliness the song evoked with me.

Late at night when it's hard to rest
I hold your picture to my chest and I feel fine
But it's a rainy night in Georgia, baby,
it's a rainy night in Georgia
I feel it's rainin' all over the world, kinda lonely now
And it's rainin' all over the world
Oh, have you ever been lonely, people?
And you feel that it was rainin' all over this man's world
You're talking 'bout rainin',

What a song.