December 19, 2020 7:00 pm
The gravelly-voiced captain announced yet another delay. Crammed in my window seat aboard a plane that had already sat unmoving for two hours, I chafed in frustration. After a long workweek away, I longed for the comfort and rest of home. How much longer? As I gazed out the raindrop-covered window, I noticed a lonely triangle of green grass growing in the gap of cement where runways met. Such an odd sight in the middle of all that concrete.
As an experienced shepherd, David knew well the need to provide the rest of green pastures for his sheep. In Psalm 23, he penned an important lesson that would carry him forward in the exhausting days of leading as king of Israel. “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, . . . he refreshes my soul” (vv. 1–3).
On the concrete jungle of an airport tarmac, delayed from my destination and feeling the lack of comfort and rest, God, my good Shepherd, directed my eyes to a patch of green. In relationship with Him, I can discover His ongoing provision of rest wherever I am—if I notice and enter it.
The lesson has lingered over the years: look for the green. It’s there. With God in our lives, we lack nothing. He makes us lie down in green pastures. He refreshes our souls.
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Welcome to today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread.
Today's reading titled, Look for the Green, was written by Alisa Morgan. The gravelly voiced captain announced yet another delay. Crammed in my window seat aboard a plane that had already sat unmoving for two hours, I chafed in frustration. After a long work week away, I longed for the comfort and rest of home.
How much longer? As I gazed out the raindrop-covered window, I noticed a lonely triangle of green grass growing in the gap of cement where runways met. Such an odd sight in the middle of all that concrete. As an experienced shepherd, David knew well the need to provide the rest of green pastures for his sheep. In Psalm 23, he penned an important lesson that would carry him forward in the exhausting days of leading as king of Israel. The Lord is my shepherd.
I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He refreshes my soul. On the concrete jungle of an airport tarmac, delayed from my destination and feeling the lack of comfort and rest, God, my good shepherd, directed my eyes to a patch of green. In relationship with Him, I can discover His ongoing provision of rest wherever I am, if I notice and enter it. The lesson has lingered over the years. Look for the green.
It's there. With God in our lives, we lack nothing. He makes us lie down in green pastures. He refreshes our souls. Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is the 23rd Psalm. The Lord is my shepherd.
I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters. He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name's sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, 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 my enemies. You anoint my head with oil.
My cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Let's pray. Dear God, thank you for giving us those green pastures. When we're weary, burdened, and we feel a weight on our shoulders, you lead us to refreshment. With you, we lack nothing. Help us to see past the difficult circumstances to the quiet waters that you provide just when we need it. Thank you for your goodness and for your love. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Whisper: medium.en / 2024-01-13 16:27:52 / 2024-01-13 16:29:20 / 1
