Psalm 23:1-3 Green Pastures, Still Waters
“God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction” (MSG).
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” (NKJV).
We are all familiar with Psalm 23, so much so that we sometimes take its words for granted. Let’s focus a little deeper. I am a sheep who has the Lord of all creation as my shepherd. If I can’t feel safe and safely led, then who in this universe can? The omniscient One, the omnipotent One, the omnipresent One is always watching over me. He knows more than anyone, He is stronger than anyone, and He is always there wherever I am.
He has placed me in a place with plenty of food—spiritual and physical. He doesn’t just sustain me, He provides more than enough so that I can grow into all that He has planned for me. He pours living water from the Holy Spirit into my soul, and He does it by providing a deep calm—a quiet place where I can learn to taste the wonders of His living water.
Each time that He has asked something of me, He provides opportunity for me to rest afterwards and regain my strength. During this time, I get the chance to feel satisfaction in the work I have just completed. Then, during this time of restoration, I can detect His teaching me and stretching me in preparation for my next assignment.
And when I am ready, he leads me out in the right direction for my next assignment. It’s important for me that He leads me out. He shows me the way to proceed, and once He’s done that, He sends me out, allowing me to do His work in whatever way I choose. He is always available for consultation or direction—even when I’m not doing it His way. He knows the best way for me to accomplish what He asks, but He has given me free will to make the choices. Sometimes I have to go through detours to get to the end of my task. But, thankfully, He is patient with me and forgiving of my errors, able to correct them.
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