The Lord is my Shepherd
These words are familiar and comforting to many of us, like a well-loved blanket that envelops us and makes us feel safe. The words of Psalm 23 awaken and stir a deep longing within us to experience the Good Shepherd the way that these sheep do. We long for soul-deep rest and renewal that refreshes our souls. We long to lay aside striving, sit at our creator’s feet, and allow His words to wash over us.
Yet like children, we are often resistant to rest, resistant to lying our heads down. Rest feels risky when we have grown up in a society that praises hustle and productivity. There is always one more task to be completed. Fear and shame keep us in an endless cycle of striving. A voice whispers in the back of our minds, “We cannot, we must not fall behind”. We resist the voice of our Lord and shepherd as he invites us to green pastures. We fear that if we do if we drop the ball, we will fall behind, miss deadlines, or fail. We fear that when we let go of being in control, we will no longer have what we need…….