He leads me beside still waters.

Still Waters

Question of the Day:  What is your favorite chapter in Psalms?

Introduction:  Well we have finished Matthew and we are on to something else.  A new study.  I have spent a lot of time trying to decide what book we tackle next and decided that I wasn't ready to tackle another book.  

This week once again we were faced with hearing on the news that people had been killed in France while gathering to celebrate.  I found myself longing for the waters of Alaska.  Wishing we could go back to the majestic mountains, the beautiful wild flowers, the wales, and yes those beautiful still waters! 

Still waters, there is something about still waters that calms us!  There is something about still waters that can quiet our souls.  When I think of the contrast between the still waters in Alaska and the news...well I want the still waters!

"He leads me beside the still waters..."  My heart cried out, for the families who have lost loved ones.  "Lead them to still waters!"  My heart ached for the struggles I see in my children, "Lead them to still waters!" My heart hurt for..... "Lead them to still waters!"  

So we are not going to tackle a book for the next few weeks.  We are going to look at the Psalms.  We won't start at the beginning and work our way through it for the next 5 years... :)  No we will just pick some passages in Psalms and go from there.  

So today we are going to start with perhaps the most famous of all Chapters in the Bible.  Most people can recite it.  Most people have known it since they were kids.  Psalms 23.

Let's read together:  Psalms 23

A psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2     He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3     he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

Ahh!  This passage is peace producing isn't it!

Verse one.  The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

Do you really believe that?  How many times do we feel like we lack nothing... not most things, not we are very blessed, but we really lack NOTHING!!!!!  We don't need a better job a, a bigger house, or a newer house, we lack NOTHING.  

If we lived like we really believed it how would our lives change?

If we lived like we really believed it how would our prayers change?

If we believed this how would our interactions with others be different?

Verse two and three:  He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,    he refreshes my soul.

These verses have always been explained to me, that as our "shepherd" He takes us to the pastures for food and calms the waters for us to drink.  So is that it?  

While we were in Alaska, Chris and I found it so healing, so "restoring" to just gaze at the majesty of God's creation.  The still waters, were so peaceful.  You could literally feel the stress leave your body. 

Have you ever laid down on a very green lush lawn and just looked up at the heavens.  It has the same affect as still waters.  There are times when I crave a 70 degree day where I could just lie down in lush green grass and rest.  

This passage is not about food, but restoration!  These verses are about being refreshed and restored by God.  It is about the power in His nature that He created for us!  

Verse four:  Even though I walk    through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil,   for you are with me; your rod and your staff,    they comfort me.

The rod and the staff, how do they comfort us? 

At this time when it is highly possible that no matter where you are you could find yourself in the middle of war, being shot at, run over, or bombed, to know that in the midst of it all we don't need to be afraid.  What a wonderful promise for today!!!

Verse five: You prepare a table before me    in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil;    my cup overflows.

One of the things that Chris and I enjoyed so much on our recent cruise was the dining experience in the main dining room.  We dressed up and just walked down the hall to the dinning room where everything was prepared for us.  Then food was brought to us.  Delicious food.  We dined and enjoyed conversation with new friends.  What a wonderful time.  

What a beautiful thought that no matter what is going on around us, no matter who is fighting against us, no matter, in the presence of our enemy, He is still preparing and giving us that dining experience.  So what does that practically look like?

That dining experience on the cruise was prepared for us, it was free and such an amazing experience but we had to walk down the hall and go to the dining room.  

Everyday, no matter what is going on, and even in the presence with our enemies, Jesus has a full experience with him just waiting for you if you will just walk down the hall to the dining room and join Him!  

So many times, I go through my day stressed, even afraid, and I didn't need to be.  I needed to come to Jesus.  I needed to have a conversation with him, to sit with Him and dine!  If I had, if I had walked down the hall to the dining room He had prepared for me what a meal I could have enjoyed!

Verse six: Surely your goodness and love will follow me  all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord    forever.

Wow!  Ahhhh!  I am going to start repeating this daily!  When does it say that we will dwell in the house of the Lord?  This starts now.  The house of the Lord is not only His heavenly home that we will be in someday.  It is here and now.  It is wherever and whenever I am with Him! His goodness and love will follow me..... really?  Follow me?

When our children were little on Sabbath Chris became the primary care giving parent.  He gave me an opportunity to talk with friends at church without worrying about what our children were doing.  I remember watching him one Sabbath afternoon at the park.  I was chit chatting with friends and the kids were playing and Chris was just walking around, or following them around.  He stayed just back far enough so they felt like they were on their own, but He was right there if they needed anything.  If Andrew started to climb too high on in a tree Chris was there.  If Anna and Sarah started squabbling about something, Chris was there.  It wasn't directing them, He wasn't trying to make them do what He wanted, they were free, but He was there if they needed anything.  

What did our kids do to get Chris to follow them?

Was it because they asked in the right way?

Or perfectly articulated their need?

To close let's read the psalm together one more time.  

A psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2     He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3     he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.