“He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.” Psalm 23:2
Sheep are curious creatures. And what is even more curious is that of every animal God created in Genesis 1, He chooses to compare humans to sheep. Sheep are mentioned more than any other animal in the Bible and in a majority of those mentions, people and sheep are directly related. Why? Well, not for flattering reasons but for very honest reasons. Sheep are stubborn and selfish and fiercely resist authority by offering a “stiff neck” to those that attempt to lead them. Sheep have no genuine sense of personal direction and fall prey to the “lemming theory”, simply following the pack, even if it’s in the wrong direction. Sheep have no natural defense against predators besides running, and unfortunately, sheep can’t run very fast. As a result of having no natural defense, sheep are very skittish, fearing everything around them. All of these points lead to the conclusion that sheep need help, a lot of help. And I can personally attest to this as my brother raised a sheep, Nancy, for FFA in high school. Nancy was all of these traits and more. As a result, Nancy needed a constant caregiver. Beyond just Nancy, all sheep need someone that will lead them, provide protection from outside evil, keep them from straying into harm, and especially to protect them from their own stubborn damaging nature. And it is in the 23rd Psalm that we see one of the most beautiful pictures of this shepherd…the Good Shepherd.
As a result of sheep being skittish and fearful, they have a hard time resting. If you’ve ever been around sheep, you’ll quickly notice that they very rarely lie down. It looks like they are always grazing, yet they are simply snacking while staying on high alert for danger. As I would approach Nancy, she always kept a keen eye on me and if I made any sudden movements, she would dart to the high ground in fear. So how do you afford a sheep true rest? How do you grant a sheep the comfort, peace, and solace that will allow them to truly lie down and rest? David knew. At the end of his life this mighty king, fierce warrior, and valiant leader looked back on his simple days as a shepherd boy and could see how God alone truly granted him rest. You see, the shepherd knows his sheep. He knows what they need and when they need it. The shepherd knows that sheep are skittish around loud and unpredictable noises, so the wise shepherd allows his sheep to drink water not from a rushing river, but still waters. A good shepherd waters his sheep in a way that doesn’t alarm, but grants peace. A good shepherd knows that only a perfectly content sheep will lie down. A sheep that is free from fear and has a full belly will finally lie down. A good shepherd will feed his sheep to satisfaction, and then under his watchful protective eye, will they truly be allowed to lie down in the green pastures in which he has led them.
One of the most beautiful parts of Psalm 23 is David’s confession in verse 1. The Lord is my Shepherd. The Lord was not “a” shepherd to David. He was not some generic caregiver. He was personal, knew what David needed, when he needed it, and provided personal love, care, and most importantly, a true rest that David could feel in his soul. Do you have a shepherd today? If not, maybe you can feel the tension in your soul, a soul that is seeking its own way, a way that is bent on self-satisfaction and feeding of self. Maybe you’re living a life that is filled with strife and paranoia as you are afforded no true rest from the evils of the world. Today can be different for you. You can personally know the Good Shepherd. You can utter the same absolute that King David uttered 3,000 years ago in the 23rd Psalm. Call upon Jesus to be your Savior, to lead you, to guide you, and to provide you peace, protection, and sustenance. He will feed you to satisfaction with the bread of life, that is, His Holy Word, the Bible. He will allow your cup to overflow with the living water that is His Salvation. Call upon Christ today to save your soul and make you a member of his blessed flock. And as a result, be prepared for true rest. Not rest of the body, but the true rest of your soul. For only in Jesus Christ, only in the Good Shepherfd, can you be allowed to truly lie down in abundantly lush green pastures.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
