"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul..."
-Psalm 23:1-3
Psalm 23 was written by King David. Before he became a king, he lived his life as a shepherd. If anyone knew the responsibilities of that job, it would be him. David knew that a shepherd's main objective was to take care of his sheep. In doing so, a shepherd leads his sheep where they need to go...places where they can find food and water, where they can find safety, where they can find rest.
As the psalm says, The Lord is OUR Shepherd. He is there to take care of us. He is there to lead and guide us.
I love the serene picture that David paints...green pastures, quiet waters...it almost relaxes me just reading about it. I don't know about you, but I could definitely go for some peaceful surroundings right now! The good news is that God, as our Shepherd, wants to lead us there.
Right now, your life may not even come close to resembling the beauty and serenity of that picture. But even in the midst of turmoil and chaos and busyness, we can (and must) take a break, quiet our minds and our hearts, and let God lead us to the green pastures of His word and the refreshing water of the Holy Spirit.
When we allow ourselves to be cared for by our loving Shepherd, we will find peace, rest, and restoration.
