The 23rd Psalm is so comforting and yet, it brings up questions for me, especially in this season.
David said, “You make me lie down in green pastures.”
If the pastures were green, why would he have to be made to lie down? Wouldn’t he want to stop there?
I have always liked to be active. While I am not the athletic type, I like having things to do. I like a change of activity and a change of scenery every hour or so.
I love planning and organizing. I enjoy the process of a project much more than the completion. When things are completed, I feel rather depressed. I am always looking for the next thing to do.
As age and health conditions have limited me, I have tried to take it all in stride. I have tried to learn new ways to satisfy my restless mind and body. But as things have become more challenging, it has been difficult.
When I feel anxious, I read, “Be still and know that I am God.”
I know He is God, but I have trouble being still. And yet, even as I write this, I realize I know only a tiny fraction of God. There is so much more He has to teach me, if I will settle down and listen.
So I can see myself as the little sheep, who wants to run every direction and might fall into that valley of the shadow of death if it were not for His Shepherd’s crook pulling me back.
I have had a rough week. Some unknown malady has tried to attack. It has affected various body systems, and made it difficult to do even the things I am usually able to do.
I have spent long hours slowly moving chair to chair, and fighting off panic attacks. As I was bemoaning my desert experience, (and with Sjorgren’s Syndrome, it often feels like I am in a dry desert 😳), Jay offered another perspective.
Perhaps this is not the desert. Perhaps if I settle down enough to look at Jesus, my Shepherd, I will discover I am in green pastures. Perhaps He has made me “lie down” to learn more of Him.
Maybe when I look at the world through His Eyes, I will see things as He does. He has what physically, emotionally, and spiritually I don’t have. He has long distance vision!
When He could have only seen the suffering of the cross, He did not stop there. He saw the Joy set before Him!
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.
And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider Him Who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Hebrews 12:1-3
