Psalm 23 as it goes in my head

The Lord is my protector.

HE will not leave me alone!

HE gives me a place to rest,

  HE walks me through the crap and death of this world,

  And that deadly crap will not overcome me.

HE is my Kung-Fu and my Kung-Fu is strong.

When I’m the last guard standing in the midst of the prison riot,

  YOU give me all I need and more.

  And through this life good and mercy will be with me.

AND God,

  HE won’t leave me alone.

  The Lord is my protector.

(The Lectionary Texts this week came from Psalm 23. Here is an interesting take on it. What are your thoughts?)

Comments

[Ray]

Kit,

Pretty cool! The more you read it the better it sounds. Thank you for the kind words about my poem. I also think "destruction and death of this world" would sound good. Because in many ways the world is destruction and chaos and Christ is the only true light to lift us out of the abyss of this world.

Grace and Peace,

[jd walt]

In the morning when I get dressed I prayerfully put on the armor of God as I put on my clothing. The other day when i was putting on my belt-- the belt of truth-- i found myself asking the Spirit to make it a "black" belt. To make me skilled in the Truth-- in order to wage the battle of grace. make sense? this helps Kit.

[Kit]

JD is right to realize that the prison gaurd line is the valley of death in this. I was a mental health worker for awhile in a state facility and one night I was one of the outnumbered workers in the midst of a riot.
To help Michael with my line about Kung Fu: I earned a 2nd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do and feel like that is a tool that God has redeemed in me. It used to be a tool of fear and intimidation for me and now I can take the mental skills and toughness that I learned to help me through this thing called ministry. Some days you get attacked in the same ways figuratively. All this and in light of movies like the Matrix it seemed to be a better descriptor to me for "thy rod and thy staff protect me" Hope this helps. thanks for the comments.

[Michel]

I love this retelling of the Psalm. I am however interested to know what it means for The Lord to be our "Kung-foo". I too am jostled by the line... it is so incredibly interesting. However, I know little of the martial arts so I feel like part of the puzzle is missing for me.

[jd walt]

He is my Kung-Fu and My Kung Fu is strong--- an amazing line. and "last guard standing in the midst of the prison riot" = valley of the shadow of death-- very nice. it would be interesting to see a series of images like this that really parse out the meaning of the valley. we so easily read through that line without really seeing it.

Send us some more Kit.

[les]

This interpretation of Ps23 by Kit Tomlinson was jolting when he first read it to our Worship class last week. I know I'm biased since I am the luckiest woman to be his wife of over 6 years. But knowing some of Kit's story there is much power in this faith that God makes good on the promise to never leave us. Kit was "the last guard in a prison riot" and experienced the immediate and vital need for the presence of God. I am blessed by this expression and the faith it reflects.