“STILL WATERS!”

 Psalm 23                        (ESV)

The LORD Is My Shepherd

A Psalm of David.

    “[1] The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 

    [2]     HE makes me lie down in green pastures.

    HE LEADS ME BESIDE “STILL WATERS”. 

    [3]     HE restores my soul.

    HE leads me in paths of righteousness

        for HIS NAME’S.

    [4] Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

        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 goodness and mercy shall follow me

        all the days of my life,

    and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD

        forever.”

From the limited child-rearing experience that has gotten me into my 60’s, I have generally experienced turmoil when placing an active 2 year old down for a nap during a fun-filled afternoon.  Recently I was being Pops and a 2 year old grandson was laid down for a nap beside me and an uproar of emotions was “announced” rather loudly!  In my limited wisdom, being STILL for the nap was the main issue, taking a nap wasn’t!  

While it is true that a two year old will physically “grow out of” the faze of having to take a nap, most Believers (me included!) have an issue with SLOWING DOWN and walking beside “STILL WATERS”!  The author of this Psalm was King David, a man after GOD’S OWN HEART (1 Samuel 13:14).  I tend to “think” that I need to be “doing something” for the ONE WHO spoke these worlds into existence.  Could it be that ALMIGHTY GOD cherishes TIME ALONE with us far more than tithes and offerings, or anything else that we might be able to produce for HIM???

Just listen to the first two verses of this Psalm.  “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.  HE makes me lie down in green pastures.  HE LEADS ME BESIDE “STILL WATERS”.”  King David recognized that GOD was the Shepherd, something that he was rather experienced in, keeping his sheep of his earthly father.  We are instructed to “not want”, for our Shepherd knows what is best for us.  HE makes us to “lie down” in safe places for the most part, but protects us when danger surrounds us.  HE leads me to the “STILL WATERS”, maybe because I don’t need to be sidetracked by the commotion that rapidly moving streams tend to cause??

A two year old can be forgiven for their lack of understanding of needing a nap.  Although I am tremendously close to being 62, I am still not as patient as I need to be in my WAITING ON THE LORD!  HE LEADS ME BESIDE THE “STILL WATERS”, but I have to be reigned in at times to FOLLOW HIM!  FATHER IN HEAVEN, cause me to long for and cherish time spent with YOU beside the “STILL WATERS”!!!