Psalm 23:2
He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.
I often find that my body can only go for so long before collapsing. It is impossible for me to remain healthy while maintaining only four hours of sleep each night. Because I realize the need for sleep, I will do all that I can to obtain as much of it as possible. In verse two of this passage David touches on an important truth we would all do well to learn. Just as sleep is important to our body, rest is equally important to our souls.
He makes me lie down in green pastures…
The Lord commands us to “be still and know that He is God.” This simple truth is possibly the most difficult of His commands for me to keep on a regular basis. The world we know is quite demanding of our time. It seems that I must always be studying, working, cleaning, paying bills, or anything other than resting. In the midst of my crazy schedule, I seldom have time to sit down and meditate on the Word of God. It is not out of my nature to stay up late in order to finish a movie, and as much as I hate it, I have gotten out of bed earlier than desired to finish an assignment or leave for a trip. Seldom, however, will you find me making time to rest in the presence of God. David says that the Lord makes him to lie down in green pastures. Using the analogy of a shepherd and his sheep, David weighs the importance of a time for spiritual renewal. We will never experience the true peace of God while running in four directions at once. It is vital that we make time each day for resting in the presence of our God.
He leads me beside quiet waters.
The idea that God will lead us to quiet waters is a reappearing theme throughout the Bible. We are His sheep and He desires nothing more than to bring us to peace and security in the midst of a raging world. Jesus promises us that one day we who are called by His name will rest with Him eternally beside waters of life. Revelation 7:17 says, “For the Lamb in the center of the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them to springs of the water of life; and God shall wipe every tear from their eyes.” Until the day when all fears disappear and no tears remain, the Lord continues to offer us peaceful waters in the midst of raging rivers. It is up to us, however, to remain faithful and to follow Him where He leads.
I have no clue as to the events that take place in the course of your day. I do know, however, that this world we live in is no paradise. We are continually bombarded with worries, sorrows, and pain. The Lord is waiting for you to ask Him for peace. To obtain this, we must be willing to set time apart in order to “be still and know that He is God.” If we are to walk along the quiet waters of life, we must be willing to follow the Lord our shepherd wherever He leads.
I’m glad to hear that God is revealing to you that you need to be still.
Although it hasn’t been always been this way, my green pasture is now God. I’m beginning to make sure that each day is spent in His presence. TV, movies, the internet and fictional books are dying with my flesh, so to speak. They are my sacrifice, and I sacrifice them willingly, because the presence of the Lord is so much sweeter than the temporary satisfaction these things offer.
When I sat and thought about what it was that was keeping me from these ‘green pasture experiences’, I came to the conclusion that it was my lack of faith. I didn’t truly believe that the Lord could comfort me and keep me in a practical way. I lived my life in the same way as any other sinner which, as a child of God, is completely erroneous. I would seek leisure time to relax and take my mind of the worries of life, rather than seek the Lord. I laugh now when I consider the time I wasted. To me, there is no better way to spend my time.
I would challenge each and every person here to put God first for one week, and see the difference in your whole outlook on life. One week of no TV, no internet, no cinema, no nothing. I guarantee you you’ll see a difference, and I make that guarantee because I believe in the word of God. James tells us in James 4:8, “Come near to God and he will come near to you…”
It’s time to start walking toward Him, wouldn’t you agree?