Psalm 23:2(NIV) says, "He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters."
My friend Pam loves to lay down in the grass and just absorb the beauty and grandeur of creation and she invites others to join her. This invitation stops our frantic pace to enjoy being with the Shepherd. When we're with the Shepherd, we stop worrying about the next blindside or danger or enemy. Our minds can rest instead of race.
Instead of trying to drink from rushing waters, he creates a placid pool for us to quench our thirst. Our Shepherd is near. We are free to rest and drink, in no danger of drowning or fleeing. Have you allowed the Shepherd to 'make' you lie down? Have you followed Him to a pool of quiet waters?
Bridges and water features reel me in. As I look down, water may be calm, frantic, gurgling or hurling itself downstream. The seamless reflection from water to land is a masterpiece of which I never tire.
Water refreshes, sustains bodily systems, cleanses and quenches thirst. Water images abound in the scriptures. The exodus of the Israelites contains several spectacular water events such as the parting of the Red Sea and the striking of the rock near Horeb. The same promise of God's presence in Psalm 23 is echoed in these two events.
Exodus 14:19-20(NIV says, "Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Isarel's army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stoobd behind the, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long."
Exodus 17:6(NIV) says, "I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock and water will come out of it for the people to drink."
Both times, God's Presence protects and provides.
Other times I need the showers of cleansing or my feet washed because I return to dusty pathways of old patterns. Do I long to stand under the waterfall of God's grace and receive or do I admire it from afar? Grace is beautiful but do I allow it to run through the veins of daily living?
Out of the Hard Places
by Tamara Wanner
Out of the hard places
Water will flow
Spoken words
To nourish the broken
Out of the hard places
Water will flow
Healing tears
Of a daughter brought low
Out of the hard places
Water will flow
Cleansing sins
To be made whole
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