God makes us
lie down in green pastures (Psalm 23:2). It is hard to eat when we are lying
down, so this verse puzzled me. Recently, I heard this verse from the IC Bible,
"He makes me rest in green pastures."
Resting
makes more sense to me…we are not eating, we are luxuriating in the green
fields of a thick carpet of grass. Resting restores our soul (Psalm 23:3). Lying
flat during the day, even for 10 or 15 minutes, is therapeutic to our body;
chilling out also gives our soul a time of rest.
Resting is a
daily requirement in order to maintain a peaceful existence through the trials
of life. Stress will damage or even kill our body; rest strengthens and
restores us in body, spirit and soul - our mind, will and emotions (3 John 1:2).
Stress makes
us grouchy, touchy and even angry. Satan uses stress to injure us physically,
mentally, emotionally and spiritually, and to ruin our testimony before others
of the love of God for us all.
God's rest
replaces our internal "batteries". We have more energy to overcome
life's threats and to perform those works, which God created for us to perform,
before we were even born (Ephesians 2:10).
As we mature
in the Lord, we make time to spend segments of rest in His presence and to
focus our entire being on Him (Psalm 46:10). We bless Him for who He is and for
His abundant love for us.
This time
can be just a few moments or an extended period. Then, we abide in God's rest
as His Spirit directs the remainder of our day; as we follow along with His
plans instead of our own.
Prayer:
Father God,
remind us that we are Your Temple - a dwelling place made without human hands.
Show us areas of our life where we are failing You, and give us Your wisdom to
redirect our energies into Your pursuits rather than into our own. As we wait
on You, we often discover that much of what we desire to accomplish comes from
Your Holy Spirit, but is misguided by the flesh, the world and the devil.
Help us not
to give Satan a foothold into our life by allowing his thoughts to infiltrate
our soul - our thoughts, decisions and emotions. We do not want to unwittingly
open a door into our soul for him to take advantage of us and to destroy our
witness for You. Reveal his lies to us so that we can combat them with Your
Truth.
Thought for
the Day:
Once we
learn to abide in God's rest, rather than pursuing meaningless activities in
life, we find our self living powerfully in the center of God's will.
