He Makes Me Lie Down in Green Pastures by Bryan Craig
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. Psalm 23:2 ESV
My wife has always commented that she doesn’t think I can ever fully relax unless we are on vacation. If we are at home, even if I’m off work, I’m thinking of all the projects needing attention around the house. Similarly, I don’t get sick very often, but when I do, I’ve thought that the Lord knew that I was run down and needed some rest.
A few weeks ago, I got COVID for the 2nd time. The first time was back in 2020 in the beginning of the pandemic, and it lasted about 10 days to 2 weeks. This time, it only lasted about five days. But it came on the heels of a VERY busy few months where I had been feeling over-committed and overwhelmed. And now, I was forced to cancel all my meetings and get some rest. After the first few days of mostly sleeping, I began to feel refreshed. Then, I got to spend some long, uninterrupted extended times with the Lord in the mornings. It felt like it had been a long time since I could give myself permission to have that time.
I journaled page after page and feasted on God’s Word and had plenty of time to pray and to listen. I began to reflect on 2022 and all that has happened this year. I didn’t realize how much happened in one year. I remembered some of my hopes and goals for this year and some of the lessons He taught me. I could see areas where I’ve grown and areas which still need discipline. But it was a wonderful time with the Lord. And then, I found myself super productive in the afternoons, working from home.
Somewhere along the way, Psalm 23 was in my spirit, in particular, verse two where David says, “He makes me lie down in green pastures.” Yes, God made me lie down and He led me beside still waters. And as Psalm 23:3 says, He restored my soul. He truly is a Good Shepherd, and He knows what I need. I’m so thankful that He will even let me get sick if it will help me slow down and get some rest.
But it is a reminder for me that my place in life is to be close to the Shepherd. The more I go on my own way and start to think I don’t need to be led, the more danger I am in. Many of you know the book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller. If you need a better understanding of how much we are like sheep and how much we need a shepherd, I highly recommend it.
So, maybe our Shepherd has made you “lie down in green pastures” right now. You might have a health issue, you might be out of work, you might be lonely, you might be disappointed. If so, I encourage you to get some rest and enjoy the time with the Shepherd. Open His Word, talk to him, listen, journal, relax. You will find food for your soul, perspective for your life and hope for the future.