Friday, February 6, 2009

Psalms 23 - Part II

"The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His names’ sake. Yea, 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Continuing from last week, the next part of Psalms 23, verse 2 says, “He leads me beside the still waters.”

Compare with:

Matthew 13:1-3, “On the same day, Jesus went out of this house and sat by the sea. Great multitudes came and were gathered together to Him so that He got into a boat and sat, and the whole multitude stood on the shores. And He spoke many things to them in parables.”

In the first installment we saw that Jesus made His sheep to lie down in green pastures and now the Good Shepherd (John 10), literally leads them beside the still waters. If the waters were at all rough or choppy that day, the sound of the surf and the wind combined with the rocking of His boat would have made it impossible for Jesus to ‘speak many things in parables’ to this great multitude of people gathered on the shore. The water must have been very still. In doing this He was fulfilling a prophecy from one thousand years before, revealing Himself as the Lord and Shepherd of David’s Psalm 23. He leads me beside the still waters.

It is amazing that being by the water makes people feel better. Whether it is the ocean, a lake, river, pond, pool, stream or even a water-feature in the back yard, we are universally drawn to water. As a younger person I frequently visited the Adirondack Mountains of New York State, famous for dense forests and beautiful cold mountain lakes. I have vivid memories of the calming and therapeutic effect on my soul of standing beside the still waters of Long Lake.

There’s also something about being able to hear the voice of God when you’re by the water. If you’re a land lubber like me, just walking along a beach or waterfront starts your mind thinking God-ward thoughts right away. It just happens automatically. Matthew 13 says Jesus simply sat by the sea and the people gathered to Him. He then launched out a short way from the shore and spoke from the boat.

I think there is an interesting correlation in this story to Genesis chapter one, verse two, when the Spirit of God is moving across the face of the water and God begins to speak creation into existence. It also ties to the time when Jesus walks (or moves) across the face of the water in the dark of night. In Genesis chapter one, this is the beginning of God speaking the creation of the heavens and the earth into being and here is Jesus sitting in a boat (on the face of the water), speaking new life to broken humanity.

The greater lesson for us is that Jesus wants to lead His present day sheep beside the still waters as well. There is an openness of mind and heart that comes to your soul when you gather yourself peacefully with the other sheep in a place designed for you to drink deeply of the waters of life.

“And He spoke many things and many parables” When they were gathered in that peaceful place, Jesus entertained them with interesting stories and deep life lessons about God. They were led beside the still waters by the Good Shepherd Himself; it was a place designed to refresh their souls like sheep drinking fresh water from a crystal clear lake. The sheep of His fold, gathered safely around the Good Shepherd, and He taught them many things and many parables, quenching the thirst of their hearts with the water of His words.

Another story in the Gospel tells of a time when people were so uplifted and inspired by Jesus words that one woman was completely beside herself: “And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!" But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!" Luke 11:27-28. Imagine—her heart was simply overflowing with love for the Good Shepherd!

If the Lord is your Shepherd and you will allow Him to, He will lead you beside the still waters and speak many wonderful things to your soul. If you will join His sheepfold (aka the Church) He will lead you beside the still waters. He will quench your thirst and give you freely of the water of life.

Jesus, our Good Shepherd, is not looking to give you a life of such burden and busyness that you do not know if you are coming or going. As a matter of fact, He always knows when His sheep need a good refreshing drink. Christian life is not just about rules and responsibilities; it is, much more, about drinking the waters of life; having ones soul restored by the Good Shepherd.

No comments: