Rest for the One Who’s Always Needed - Your Nightly Prayer - September 24

Rest for the One Who’s Always Needed

TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE

“He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters” Psalm 23:2

SOMETHING TO PONDER

When I was a child, I could never understand Psalm 23. The opening verse, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want,” made no sense to me. I couldn’t understand why you didn’t want the Lord. Why were we praying about a Shepherd we rejected? I am embarrassed to admit how long it took me to learn what the psalm actually said.

Want, in the context of Psalm 23, speaks not of desire, but of need. Being “in want” describes insufficiency, a recognition that our lives do not contain the necessary resources to survive. The psalm recognizes that there is no insufficiency in life with the Lord. When God is our shepherd, we shall not be in want; we have everything we need.

It is precisely because God gives us all that we need for our lives that David can write, “He makes me lie down in green pastures.” Has it ever occurred to you that the lamb is lying down in its dinner?  Lush pastures are a smorgasbord for hungry sheep. All shepherds know that a shepherd leads the sheep to green pastures, not for a nap, but for a feast! Sheep don’t lie down in green pastures; they graze. They fill up their hungry stomachs with the nourishment they need. That is, unless they are satisfied. If a sheep is satisfied, fully satiated, then the sheep will lie down. The sheep will rest because they no longer need to feed; the shepherd has provided.

The same image is taken up in the next verse. David writes that the shepherd leads the sheep beside quiet waters. Instead of drinking from the quiet waters, quenching a sheep’s intense thirst, the psalm describes walking beside the waters. Throughout the Psalm, constant in every verse, the message is simple: in the presence of the good shepherd, we have everything we need.

If you haven’t reflected on Psalm 23 for a while, spend some time with this beloved poem. Let the words of the psalm wash over you. Allow its truth to sink deep within. Psalm 23 speaks to God’s provision, God’s protection, and, ultimately, God’s presence. As followers of Jesus, the shepherd is with you. There is nothing you lack. You have everything you need.

And with that assurance, as you close the day, you can rest.

YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER

Jesus, you are the shepherd of our souls. You are the one we adore, the one we worship, the one we follow. Thank you for all that you provide in our lives. Thank you for leading us to the blessings we need as we walk in faith.

O divine shepherd, I pray for rest for those who feel the weight of tasks and demands. I pray for those who feel they are always needed. For pastors and priests, for doctors and nurses, for teachers and professionals – for those who are on the brink of burnout- Lord, lead them to a place where they can lie down in your presence. Let your spirit breathe new life within them. Give them the strength they need to do the work that you set before them, but also give them the boldness they need to stop when you call them to rest. Increase in them, your loving presence.

THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON

1. Did you notice that the ‘paths of righteousness’ lead directly into the darkest valley? When has God led you into a time of difficulty, and where was God’s presence revealed?

2. What do you think it means for your soul to be restored?

3. Where might God be asking you to stop and rest in His presence?

Reflect on tonight’s prayer and share how God met you there. Join the Your Nightly Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum.

Photo Credit: iStock/Getty Images Plus/Mkovalevskaya

The Reverend Dr. Kyle Norman is the Rector of St. Paul’s Cathedral, located in Kamloops BC, Canada.  He holds a doctorate in Spiritual formation and is a sought-after writer, speaker, and retreat leader. His writing can be found at Christianity.com, crosswalk.com, ibelieve.com, Renovare Canada, and many others.  He also maintains his own blog revkylenorman.ca.  He has 20 years of pastoral experience, and his ministry focuses on helping people overcome times of spiritual discouragement.

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