Like: A Journey Through Psalm 23Sample

With all the complexities we carry around in our lives, one of our greatest struggles is to slow down. The picture of the beautiful green pasture with a quiet stream running through it is ideal, yet for most of us is an unrealistic option. We have too much to achieve, manage, and make. But let’s consider the sheep. The sheep is scared, for it has no natural defenses of its own. Its greatest resource in a tough time is to lie down and play dead. Therefore, sheep live with this constant tension of the threat that could come their way next. Seem familiar? Our drive to achieve, manage, and make can be rooted in fear of what unexpected thing is coming next. And when we are driven to achieve, manage, and make because we are actually fearful, we struggle to turn off, take a break, or just rest. The sheep with a good shepherd follows his shepherd to the place of rest. And when they get there… they actually rest because they trust their good shepherd to know what is coming their way before they can see it themselves. It is interesting, in this psalm, David chooses the words “make” and “lead.” These two words assume that we need help with the resting part of our lives. Maybe David struggled to turn off his drive. Maybe he struggled to not be fearful of what was coming next. And maybe he is learning, in the writing of this psalm, that his GOD is a good shepherd who can protect him in times he should rest. So go back to that picture of a beautiful green pasture with a quiet stream running through it. What if this could be a picture of the way your heart and mind could feel? What if we could slow down and rest? What if the drive to achieve, manage, and make could stop for a little while? He who makes us lie down, who leads us, is a good shepherd who is worthy of our trust and is capable of caring for our needs. So what will it take from you today to slow down and trust your good shepherd in your times of rest?