“He makes me lie down in green pastures.” Psalm 23:2
I love the smell of herbs on a hot summer day. As the heat draws the essential oils of the garden to the surface the lazy air becomes filled with the fragrance of peace: Mint and lavender mix with rose and tansy. Oregano and basil spill their essence into the sultry atmosphere and I am brought to a quiet in my soul that only God’s garden can make. This is the picture God is trying to convey when he says through David “He makes me to lie down in green pastures (or young herbs).”
Sometimes I get to running for things.Sometimes I get to running away from things. For or away doesn’t matter, it’s the running He wants to stop. He comes to me and says “Peace be still!”. My lungs are filled with the fragrance of His green pastures and I lie down. By His work I am brought to peace.
I am so grateful that though I always start running again, eventually He brings me to yet another one of His pastures and a renewal of rest! Tomorrow another race starts but I am confident that He will bring it to its proper end at the next green pasture!
Until tomorrow dear friends! JE
Reinventing the We'll 
Thank you, Pastor J, for that beautiful picture of peace. Oh, to have a hot summer day again. God is so good to us for He knows just when we need a green pasture to lie down in. Thank you God for knowing the exact moment it is needed, your timing is never too soon or too late.
To be in His perfect timing always! To know He will provide the green pasture when it is due! Oh that is grace indeed!
So thankful that He provides these places of rest…of which, I still rush right by at times. LORD blast me with your scents and draw me to Your green pastures! Thanks jellilie!
And than you for all you do Tom to encourage the people of God. Your post is one of the green pastures I go to to rest my mind in His presence!
“By His work I am brought to peace.” There is something important in that for me today. Thank you so much for your faithfulness to stop running and lie down in His pastures. The results bring us these devotions and His peace and rest too! God bless you!
Then may the peace of God wash over you Deb and may the fragrance of the Lord be your rest!
Three summers ago we had a bear attack on our goat herd. As I came out that evening to the sound of a goat call of agony from our forest, I did not hesitate to jump fences and run to the sound. As I called her she called back and I kept running. Past one dead goat kid then another and another, then my best milker, and still I ran and her cries grew louder. When I saw her under a massive black bear, fighting for her life I grabbed the first stick I could and even as I swung it the bear fled from my wrath. The stick broke as it smashed against a poplar and there I was staring at a bear as the bear stared back at me. At this point I think we were both wondering if a broken stick was something to be afraid of. I thank God, my 8 month old border collie arrived, keeping the bear away while we could gather up goats and do a head count….
All that summer due to 350 acres of oats planted at our neighbour’s, and twenty bears visiting them each day, I had to take my goats into our green pastures and herd them all day long. A quiet stream meandered through the area and with our new guardian puppy and my young Blue dog we played and frolicked with the goats, we lay in the long grass and rested in the shade of a big tree; really and truly I understood how perhaps David spent his shepherding days. I was always attentive to the sounds around us, ready for any predators. When out of exhaustion I would sleep, I would awaken to the dogs guarding beside me and the goats around them resting and chewing their cuds. My goat that had called me to rescue her, had had 200 puncture wounds and she didn’t want to die; five days later, by God’s grace, she delivered on her own a lovely kid doe which we named Victory … after I Corinthians 15:54… and death is swallowed up in Victory!
Two years later both mom and daughter delivered wonderful twins each on the same day. My Blue dog and Sam dog take their work seriously so we are still able to rest in the green pastures.
I loved how you mentioned about the smell of herbs and the fragrance of peace! It is that exactly and it reminded me of that long and beautiful summer as a shepherd with so much time to be still and know that He is God! The Lord is indeed Our Good Shepherd!
(over here from Deb’s blog)
Oh my goodness this is so beautiful! I am almost weeping reading it! Thank you for sharing this beautiful picture that will bring us all a better picture of David’s words. JE
jelillite – Do you remember the Ten Shekel Shirt song, Healer?
“So I fall on my knees
To get back on my feet again
And I cry out for You
To hear You speak to me
Yes I fall on my knees
To get back on my feet again
And I run hard for You
To enter Your rest.”
That’s what your post made me think of – I run hard for You to enter Your rest (of course there was a lot of falling down first). 🙂
Debbie
Indeed! It has been so long since I heard “Ten Shekel Shirt”! Thanks for the memory! 🙂 And I am with you about the faling down part!
sorry about the t? I didn’t mean to imply a lite version!
THat’s OK I could use a liter version anyway! Ha! 😉
Work, rest and play. All are part of life and the Lord provides all.
I thank Him for the sweet, sweet rest He gives and the refreshment He brings, that enables us to work diligently and to enjoy life in His service.
What an amazing God!
Yes indeed and he is constantly balancing us isn’t He?
Thank you Pastor
Amazing Love…what a picture you have painted. God be praised!
I can identify with the running . I can identify with the resting too. May my soul be tuned In to His guidance… Resting during running time can invite problems. Running during resting time will yield nothing different.
Trusting His direction
ann
So true Ann! There is ” a time to every purpose under Heaven” as Solomon said. The trick is knowing what time we are dwelling in and responding accordingly. 🙂