In the times we are living in today it is a comfort to know that God is truly watching over us. There are many tragedies going on in the world today. We hear about all the tragedies on the evening news, but there are so many more heart aches and tragedies that go unnoticed. When we are going through difficult times we often wish that someone could be there to walk with us through it, but, so many people just suffer silently, and let each day go by without notice. God has made himself our shepherd, because he wants to see his joy sping up in us no matter what we have to face in this life.
Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
The Lord takes care of our every need, yet, there are times when we have everything that we need and we find ourselves longing for more. There are times in our lives when no matter what we have, we want something else. To realize that this is a stealer from the enemy, and to bring that under subjection to Christ is wisdom and truth in action...Sometimes we want more no matter what God gives us. More more more. And often it is for selfish gain... Often our desire for more stuff, or bigger stuff or better people around us, and more spending ability has nothing to do with wanting to be a better person, it is mostly to feed personal ego...but I shall not be in want...Don't be wanting all the time. How much of our daily anxieties and pain are the result of us always wanting more and bigger, and better stuff? Do yourself a favor and say, "The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want!"
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
Sounds alot like a rest to me! Where is he leading me? To the green pastures, and for a lamb, that's good eating, and beside the quiet waters... that is inner peace and rest. I may be active on the outside, but, I have an inner rest within. If I got my mind going and going, how am I going to hear his voice? If I am working out of my own feminine intuition, churning, churning, analizing, feeling, sensing, assessing...how am I going to operate in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit? The Bible declares, "There remains therefore a rest for the people of God, see to it that you do not fail to enter into this rest." My soul rests in the green pastures where I feast on Jesus, beside the quiet waters, where I can hear the voice of God.
3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
Here we find restoration. Everything will be restored in your life as you hang out by at the green pastures, beside the still waters. He restores us and he guides us into paths of righteousness FOR HIS NAME SAKE...What does that mean? It means there is NO pressure on me. He isn't giving me these things as a result of my effort to please him, or as a reward for my doing right.,..All condemnation flees here by the still waters, and the green pastures. Let everything be done for HIS name sake, and not for our own gain or ego. We get all caught up in our pride, wanting this and wanting that. None of us have a perfect life, or a perfect family. Learn to enjoy the wonderful things that you do have, don't let your heart trick you into thinking that things would be better if you had a different car, a different partner, a different job, a different personality, a different life. Learn to find the good where you are and thrive in it.
4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
We see here in verse four that even if our life is in jeopardy, and we don't know if we will live or die because of our outward circumstances...still yet I will fear no evil, and He is with me! Even the threat of death cannot take this rest and inner peace that I have away. My mind is at rest, my soul is still feasting on green pastures. I still hear the harmony of those still waters that bring me peace and rest though the tempest surround me. The dark clouds roll in and I walk through the valley of the shadow of death but I'm OK, because I'm resting with Jesus...We often let the smallest things take our peace, take our joy, take our inner rest...and we let the smallest things knock us out of the Spirit into the flesh.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Now verse five is talking about our status in life. First of all if you enter into his rest you will have enemies. People don't like it when there is a need for worry, and getting all ugly and letting the mouth run, and you are sitting there enjoying the rest of God instead of getting all up with them in the flesh. But God prepares a table for me in the presence of my enemies...while they are all upset in the flesh...they will witness blessing after blessing, favor after favor, devine intervention as your steps are order daily of the Lord. They will see you eat the good things...and watch you find favor on every hand. And the anointing will dwell upon your head! You will be dripping with the anointing. Wherever you go, if people are out of step with the Spirit, they will realize it just by being with you...they will feel God's presence moving with you and his anointing will grace your head. My cup overflows...blessings will so abound that you will have more than enough, and you will be able to water everyone around you without fear of not having enough. Your cup will supernaturally over flow because of God's devine favor upon your life. Walk in the rest of God in your inner man, in the green pastures, let him lead you beside the still waters. As the scripture declares "Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith."
6 Surely goodness and mercy will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
This verse talks about our devine fate. No matter where we go, or what danger we are in, or what things come our way...it is my destiny and fate...Goodness and mercy are always chasing me down. I don't have my past following me, trying to overtake me...trying to repeat itself one more horrifying time...surely...goodness and mercy are following me. When I look over my shoulder, I don't fear what I am leaving behind me. A boat has a wake that it leaves behind in the water. I am leaving goodness and mercy in my wake. Mercy and goodness are stalking me. I can lay on my face for a few hours and seek my God...because when I stop and slow down it just gives mercy and goodness an opportunity to catch up with me. What do you see following you? Many people feel like they have to 'keep going' or the devil is going to catch up with them, or some sin is going to catch up with them or overtake them. I have goodness and mercy following me. Let goodness and mercy follow you in your wake. When you leave the building, people should feel refreshed because they smelt the aroma of goodness and mercy following you in your wake, and they received of it.
No matter what you are facing today, fix your eyes on Jesus and spend time with him in the green pastures of His word the Bible, lay with him the green pastures beside the still waters of prayer...you will find rest for your soul.
