Psalms 23 is probably the most memorized Psalm in the Bible. 

He leads me beside still waters…He makes me lie down in green pastures. 

[Tweet “Sometimes- we just need to be #made to lie down! #greenPastures #Shepherd”]

This verse J u M p E d in my head one day as I was trying to “make” one of my children lay down and take a much needed nap.  I was starting to get frustrated, thinking, “Don’t they know they need to lay down and rest?!“

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Immediately, God spoke to my heart, “No, Cindy, they don’t know.  That is why you lovingly have to “make” them lie down.  Just as I, your Shepherd, have to still “make” you lie down and rest.  You fight it as badly as they are right now.”

Ouch!  I’d really rather not be compared to a toddler!  But God was right- as usual :)!

I did fight resting in Him.  I had been raised on adages such as “the early bird catches the worm” and “God helps those who help themselves.” I’ve read so many “how to” books that I’ve become exhausted trying to BE a good person, a good Christian, a good wife, and good mother.

[Tweet “God doesn’t expect us to work 24/7- Even He rested from His #work. #Sabbath #rest “]

What I didn’t get is that God modeled and built in fellowship with Him and REST.

God created everything in 6 days and RESTED on the 7th!

God asks us to rise in the morning and seek and fellowship with Him.

God tells us to Come to Him if we are weary and tired and He will give us rest!

God tells us in Hebrews that He has made a way for all of His children to enter into His rest.

One of my favorite mental images is of a stained glass window in the little Methodist church I grew up in.  I would sit and stare at these windows and listen intently as the minister explained about our Heavenly Father and Jesus, the Shepherd of our soul.  In this church, I learned Jesus loves me and that I am weak but He is strong.

I need to stop and rest!  You need to stop and rest.

We are limited.  He is limitless.

He wants us to stop and rest in the beautiful green pastures He has prepared for us.  He wants to speak to us and fill us and renew us.  He wants to show us answers to our questionings, soothe our troubled spirit, speak peace to our turmoil and renew our strength.

[Tweet “Tired? Worn out?  Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll #recover your life.” –Jesus #rest”]

It is more than laying down and taking a nap.  It is a spiritual position we must put ourselves so that we can listen to our Shepherd and feast in the beautiful pastures where He takes us.  “Lord- make me lie down!”

Surprising Treasures: Green Pastures – time well spent!