Day 25 - Saturday

Day 25

"He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake."  Psalm 23:2-3 (NIV)

In this famous psalm, we hear King David declaring that God will lead us beside the quiet or "still" waters.  These still waters are indicative of peace.  God wants to lead us into and by his peace.

 

It is not God's intention for our lives to be fraught with worry and doubt and fear.  No, his intention is for us to let his peace be our "state of being." 

 

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control." 2 Timothy 1:7 (Amplified Bible)

 

He has made provision through Christ's sacrifice and the ever-present Holy Spirit to grant us peace.  This doesn't mean that we will be able to experience this perfectly every time, but the possibility is there.  We're human and struggle with human emotions, but all the same, our supernatural, superhuman God lives and dwells within us. 

 

The peace that the Psalmist talked about came after he made a declaration of who God was in his life:

 

"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want." Psalm 23:1 (NIV)

 

It is not an accident that it is this declaration of God being David's shepherd came first.  He had learned and received God as his shepherd, learning to listen to his voice and following his commands.  As he did this, David experienced the ability to find the still waters in his life.  And his life was nowhere near perfect. 

 

His peace was found in allowing God to shepherd him.  How well are we at being shepherded by God?  Do we push against fence?  Are we straining against his boundaries in our lives?  Or have submitted to his guidance and leading?  We will know by the waters we find ourselves beside.

 

Prayer:  "Jesus, I want to be led by those streams of still and quiet waters.  I want to have my soul restored in your peace.  Grant me the ability to hear your voice and be quick to obey.  I believe in you, my Shepherd.  In You I pray, Amen."