He Lets Me Rest

ByJim Stephens

Reading: Psalm 23 GNT

He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. (Psalm 23:2 NLT)

We are tired people, living in a society of tired people. We are hurrying. We hurry from morning to night, never completing our “To Do” list, never feeling we’re doing enough, always feeling we need to get just one more thing done before we sit down and put our feet up to watch a little TV before we go to bed. We are tired!

We’re so under pressure to do well economically that we don’t take days off, even when they’re in the contract, and we work all hours, even if we signed up for 9 to 5. I’m not saying we shouldn’t willingly work overtime when there’s an important deadline to meet. I’m not saying we should watch the clock instead of putting our full attention and heart into doing the best work we’re capable of. I’m just saying there’s this insidious tendency to measure our worth by, and to boast about, how busy we are! Even our hobbies have become “side-hustles.”

“Business equals worth” isn’t a new issue, and it isn’t universal, but it’s real and it’s something I’ve lived with for as long as I can remember. Of course, at my age my ability to remember is sometimes called into question! (picture a smiley emoji here). The thing I’ve come to realize about myself is that it’s much more an inside thing rather than an external, circumstantial thing with me. I’m not writing about this today because you’re like this, I’m writing about this because I’m like this! But maybe you’re like this too, just a little!

You might want to re-read day-before-yesterday’s GraceNotes 01-25-24 “Come To Me.” “Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.”

He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. (Psalm 23:2)

  • “Green meadows” feels like a nice place to be! It’s quiet, the grass is lush, there’s buttercups in the meadow. There’s nourishing food all around, but it’s really nice to just lie down and rest for a bit.
  • “Peaceful streams” are quiet, the water flowing smoothly past. You can meander over and have a drink. Or just lie down and rest.

Prayer:

Father, Please show us how to lie still and quiet in the meadow and listen to the soothing sound of the peaceful stream flowing past. We know we need it. We want to rest in the green meadow beside the peaceful stream, under your watchful eye. Amen.