psalm 23
Psalm 23:1:
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” |
When we have learned to trust our shepherd, we come into a place of “rest” in knowing that our “wants” will be provided. This is actually a very powerful and profound statement for someone to be able to truly say with real conviction because it doesnt come without testing. Some of us are stubborn and we dont willingly come to a place where we realize God is “The Good Shepherd,” who looks after our every concern and need in this life. But it is only then that we find, rest, guidance, and restoration.
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In eastern lands, the shepherd goes before his flock—he leads them. They know his voice and follow him. So the sheep in this beautiful Psalm, the flock of the Lord, are those who follow Him. Jesus said, as we read in John 10:27, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” [SOURCE: Bible Info]
Psalm 23:2:
“He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.” |
A shepherd would never lead his sheep to a rapidly flowing river. It would be too dangerous and loud causing the sheep to be frightened. God doesn’t want this for us. He longs to give us peace, rest, and repose, so He takes us to where the water is pure, clear, and almost motionless so we can refresh ourselves in Him. It’s a place where we can slow down, be quiet and still with Him, and experience His deep, pure love intimately.
Because the water is so calm, we can even step into the Living Water and wade around a little fully immersing ourselves in His grace and quenching our thirst. His invitation to drink of His peace is found in Isaiah 55:1 which says, “Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.” [SOURCE: Steppes Of Faith] |