July 10 - Psalm 23:2

July 10
Psalm 23:2

Dear Christian friends,

Psalm 23:2 "He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.

The 23rd Psalm is special to Christians because it paints a picture of our relationship with Christ. As we look toward the tranquility of a flock of sheep and lambs lying down together in green pastures besides still waters, it  gives us a sense of "all is well with the world." The Hebrew meaning for the word "pastures" is "dwellings," or "habitations." In other words, we, too like sheep, look to this place as our habitation, filled with the provisions of life, which is where God wants us to dwell - to live in continuously.  King David wanted to paint this picture for us as we imagine what it would be like for us to be at such peace where we are simply enjoying the beautify of life, having all the provisions we need, under the watchful eye of our Good Shepherd.

Jesus, as our Good Shepherd, wants us to stay within the flock under His care. If necessary, He will even leave the 99 sheep of His flock to go after the one sheep that has strayed away in order to bring him back into the fold of safety.

This Psalm also demonstrates the importance of keeping together with our own flock under the watchful care of our Good Shepherd Jesus. As New Testament believers, our Bibles tell us in Hebrews 10:25 not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. In other words, it is important that we stick together with other like-minded believers to stay on the right path with the Lord. The world outside of church is Satan's domain - as he is presently the god of this world.  But as believers worshipping and congregating together, we stand a much better chance of staying together under the watchful eye of our Good Shepherd Jesus. 

Blessings,