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He leadeth me beside still waters (Psalm 23).
Living in the city bothers me. As a child I lived in the village, the top of it was on a hill, surrounded by fields and mountains. As soon as I got home from school I put on my old clothes and walked up the lane, jumped over the gate that led into the field and headed up the mountain. The solitude was amazing. The quiet fields invigorating. The sheep without cares, mesmerising. The brook that gently flowed, refreshing. The singing birds, liberating, I never felt so good! I was surrounded by wildlife that was free and I felt a free lad too .
Why should a bird be more free than me, how could a defenceless rabbit be more liberated than I. God had created me in his image and should not I know such wonderful freedom as much as the wild-life around me. Today’s city living does nothing to liberate a man, its false promises of prosperity and fake hopes of independence and happiness are nothing compared to that which God placed naturally around us. You won’t find this freedom in the city. Somehow God made nature just right, David knew this, as a king he knew city life too yet his famous poem tells us that he valued the quietness of the valley more than the life of the city, for he said, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:1-3).
Righteous paths, still waters and green pastures, a pleasant combination that makes life just right for the erring soul and would be God seeker. I don’t know about you but I have to find that place where he can restore my soul today, that quiet place. It’s built in me and in you too. Sometimes the church has become as noisy as the city, I hate saying that but it’s true. God is not in the noise but the still small voice (1 Kings 19:12) and that voice is often heard outside the four walls of some of our buildings. I want to find my brook, that’s where i’ll find my stone to kill my giant, my confidence, my peace and my God!
The refreshing of the brook the gentle flow of the water. Nothing mighty in that, be not deceived friend, the flow is healing mesmerising, regenerating, entertaining, whoever thought quietness could be entertaining! Still waters produce green pastures, too much noise drowns out the presence of God, quiet places lead us to him.
Still waters and green pastures. Can you show me a church by that name! Still waters and Green pastures help me find God today.
Paul.