He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.
Psalm 23:2-3
How many years did I go about my life knowing and agreeing with this verse, but never experiencing it fully. Even in the few moments when I gained a glimpse, the realization that it was mine for the taking any time I felt restless, uneasy, or disturbed in my heart, mind or soul, evaded me.
Abba, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are waiting for us to lie down in their life-giving knowledge and allow them to lead us into the still waters of their presence, not just occasionally, but every day, every moment of this new year.
The problem is:
- We don’t believe they want to.
“The LORD has way too much to do to bother with me.”
“There are a lot more people in worse situations than I am. My small worries or concerns aren’t important enough.”
Ask yourself, how big is your God? Don’t brush it off with a quick answer, but really think about it. How big do you think God is? Is the Creator and maintainer of billions of galaxies, with billions of stars, unable to be present with billions of people, individually?
John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world.”, not only those in the greatest need. Jesus always made time for everyone when he was on earth, even the little children.
- We don’t believe we need to.
“I’m doing okay.”
“I go to church on Sunday.”
“I read my Bible every day.”
If David, “a man after God’s own heart,” needed restoring, so do we. The world around us bombards us every day, many times a day, with false messages. Note the passage says, “he makes me lie down,” “he leads me.” If we don’t make the time to rest, the LORD will cause us to because he knows how necessary it is for our spiritual health.
- We don’t believe we have time to.
“The only laying down I have time for is when I go to bed.”
“Have you seen my schedule?”
“I will when the kids get older.”
We seem to have time for Facebook, Instagram, news, sports, Netflix and Amazon Prime. If we have time for those, we have time to rest in God’s Word and his presence, where we will find real rest.
Not just leisure, soul rest.
This is how we are restored, when we take the time to sit in the green pasture of the Word of God and allow the quiet waters of his presence to refresh our body, mind and soul. As believers in Jesus Christ, his death and resurrection, we are united to the vine. The life force and power of the vine is in us, part of us. We are no longer alone, singular, but united to the Father, Son and Spirit. Consider that.
Pause and take it in, deep into your soul.
“If anyone loves me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.”
John 14:23 NKJV
I encourage you today to take 10 or 15 minutes, find somewhere quiet where you won’t be disturbed, and sit with the LORD, not in Heaven or around you, but in you, with you. Talk to him, tell him how you feel about him, and invite him into your heart so you can know him more deeply. Soak in his presence and be restored by it. It will be the best part of your day.
Be well!
Patricia