Line Upon Line with Lawrence Yap
11 August 2020 | Psalms 23

Today we are going to look at Psalm 23:2 – “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters.” Does this reading make you sense the peace and tranquillity of this truth?

Why is it so soothing to just look at pictures of mountain and waterfalls?

Could it be because we are overwhelmed by busyness and stress?

Could you be too busy? Ask yourselves these questions.

1. Are you always in a hurry?
2. Do you use your off days to catch up with unfinished work?
3. Has more than one person ever told you to slow down?
4. Do you feel guilty when you relax?
5. Do you only take leave when you are sick?

If you score more than half of the answers by saying ‘yes’, then you really are busy! This is not the kind of life God wants you to live. Ps. 127:2 – ^“It is senseless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, fearing you will starve to death; for God wants his loved ones to get their proper rest. (Living Bible Translation)

God wants you to live a whole, balanced and complete life.

Some people think, if I am really sold out to Jesus, I should be busy. Not so! Instead, He may want you to take some things out and learn to ‘lie in green pastures’ so that you may live longer!

What does – “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters mean?

* “lie down in green pastures”

• pay attention to the words “lie down”
• normally sheep will just feed in the green pastures.

To be able to lie down in the green pastures means it is a place of security; a place of assurance; a place of rest.

• for us, it denotes the peace of heart; the security of our soul – WITHOUT which we will not be at peace to ‘lie down’.

*“he leads me beside quiet waters.” As the streams find their way down the mountainside, over stones, into little creeks and outlets, there is a noise and rustle of the waters.

It has been noted that sheep can be jittery animals. It never likes rushing, aggressive waters because with the heavy coat of wool, and should the sheep fall into the water, the wool will be like a sponge and the sheep can easily drown.

• for these places, the shepherd does a unique thing.
• the shepherd “treats” the water by putting some obstructions so as to slow down the water and from there it flows to become “quiet waters” The KJV puts it as “He leads me beside the still waters.”(KJV)
• spiritual parallel is that God know how to “treat” the circumstances that we face in our lives. He takes the danger out of it and that we will benefit out of the circumstances.

1 Cor. 10:13 – “No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit, he’ll always be there to help you come through it.”