Lush Pastures and Darkest Valleys
Lush Pastures and Darkest Valleys
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He takes me to lush pastures, he leads me to refreshing water. He restores my strength. He leads me down the right paths for the sake of his reputation. Even when I must walk through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff reassure me.
Psalm 23:1-5 (NET)
S pring is transition time for our two Katahdin sheep. Each April, they begin to shed their thick, winter coats, huge clumps of wooly hair falling out and dotting the pasture like massive flakes of dandruff. Around the same time, they also switch from eating hay to grazing on the newly sprouted grass.
All winter long, with the grass dead and dormant, our sheep depend on us daily to feed them hay (and they will let us know, in no uncertain terms, if they are lacking anything!). But in the spring, the barren, brown field gradually transforms to a lush, green pasture with grass so juicy that they barely need extra water.
Our sheep need different things in different seasons. David, the shepherd-psalmist, knew well how to meet the needs of demanding sheep. In arguably his most well-known psalm, he eloquently describes how God, our tender shepherd, cares for us in all seasons.
Thank you, Lord, for being our shepherd. Thank you that with You, we lack nothing. Help me to trust You to give me what I need today.
When our anxious hearts need refreshing and peace, He gives it. When we are weak, He restores our strength. When we are walking through the darkest valley, He is right by our side, protecting us and reassuring us with His presence.
It’s so easy for me to behave like our sheep, bleating at God and demanding that He give me what I think I need, exactly when I think I need it. But our gentle shepherd-God is good and faithful. He knows what season I am in and He fills my cup accordingly, making sure I lack nothing.
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