He Makes Me Lie Down
He Makes Me Lie Down
I have the privilege of working with children, and one of the funniest things about them is the way they resist rest. Some gladly go to sleep (that was totally me), but others fight it with every fibre of their being!
Their eyelids droop, their heads swing to and fro, and still they fight what will inevitably come to them. Their body knows full well what they need, but their little hearts just long to stay up a bit longer.
This is what comes to mind when I read today’s passage:
‘He makes me lie down…’
He - our Shepherd, our God - makes His sheep lie down!
As I read this, it was almost as if David, our psalmist, was inferring that there’s a stubbornness, a resisting, or a childlike refusal within the sheep to do what it is that they need to do. The sheep resist rest… and so the Shepherd has to make them lie down.
Dear friend, those stubborn sheep David refers to… that’s us!
So, what can we learn about rest?
Firstly, rest is a must, dear friend! David doesn’t say, ‘He invites me to lie down,’ which leaves it up to me to decide whether to rest or not. Neither does he say, ‘He lets me lie down,’ implying that rest is an optional extra.
Rest is a command. Our Shepherd has commanded us to lie down. Check out the fourth of the Ten Commandments: we are to keep the Sabbath day holy (Exodus 20:8-11). We are to rest.
Rest is essential and vital. Our Good Shepherd makes us rest because He knows what is best for us (even when we don’t)!
Philip Keller, in his book A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, writes that sheep do not and will not lie down easily unless four specific conditions are met.
#1: Because they are timid creatures, they will not lie down if they are afraid.
#2: Because they are social animals, they will not lie down if there is friction and no harmony among the sheep.
#3: If they are troubled by flies or parasites, they will not lie down.
#4: If they are anxious about food or they are hungry, they will not lie down.
Keller concludes that rest comes because the Shepherd has dealt with fear, friction, pests, and famine. He gets rid of everything that prevents His sheep from getting the rest they need. Isn’t that wonderful?
Dear friend, your Good Shepherd promises to give you rest in every understanding of the word. If you are weary and burdened, He will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30). If you are feeling anxious, He will give you rest from that too (Philippians 4:6-7). If you are facing enemies, He will give you rest on every side (Joshua 21:44).
Let us listen to and obey our Good Shepherd today.
Reflection:
Am I resisting the rest that my Shepherd is commanding me to do?
Of the four conditions above, are there any that I need my Shepherd to deal with today?
In what way is the Lord making me rest?
Prayer:
Good Shepherd,
You make me lie down. You bring everything this is restless in me into deep rest.
You will conquer fear; You will heal my relationships; You will help me to overcome every adversity.
Thank You, my Good Shepherd. I love to be loved by You.
In Your might name I pray, amen.
I have the privilege of working with children, and one of the funniest things about them is the way they resist rest. Some gladly go to sleep (that was totally me), but others fight it with every fibre of their being!
Their eyelids droop, their heads swing to and fro, and still they fight what will inevitably come to them. Their body knows full well what they need, but their little hearts just long to stay up a bit longer.
This is what comes to mind when I read today’s passage:
‘He makes me lie down…’
He - our Shepherd, our God - makes His sheep lie down!
As I read this, it was almost as if David, our psalmist, was inferring that there’s a stubbornness, a resisting, or a childlike refusal within the sheep to do what it is that they need to do. The sheep resist rest… and so the Shepherd has to make them lie down.
Dear friend, those stubborn sheep David refers to… that’s us!
So, what can we learn about rest?
Firstly, rest is a must, dear friend! David doesn’t say, ‘He invites me to lie down,’ which leaves it up to me to decide whether to rest or not. Neither does he say, ‘He lets me lie down,’ implying that rest is an optional extra.
Rest is a command. Our Shepherd has commanded us to lie down. Check out the fourth of the Ten Commandments: we are to keep the Sabbath day holy (Exodus 20:8-11). We are to rest.
Rest is essential and vital. Our Good Shepherd makes us rest because He knows what is best for us (even when we don’t)!
Philip Keller, in his book A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, writes that sheep do not and will not lie down easily unless four specific conditions are met.
#1: Because they are timid creatures, they will not lie down if they are afraid.
#2: Because they are social animals, they will not lie down if there is friction and no harmony among the sheep.
#3: If they are troubled by flies or parasites, they will not lie down.
#4: If they are anxious about food or they are hungry, they will not lie down.
Keller concludes that rest comes because the Shepherd has dealt with fear, friction, pests, and famine. He gets rid of everything that prevents His sheep from getting the rest they need. Isn’t that wonderful?
Dear friend, your Good Shepherd promises to give you rest in every understanding of the word. If you are weary and burdened, He will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30). If you are feeling anxious, He will give you rest from that too (Philippians 4:6-7). If you are facing enemies, He will give you rest on every side (Joshua 21:44).
Let us listen to and obey our Good Shepherd today.
Reflection:
Am I resisting the rest that my Shepherd is commanding me to do?
Of the four conditions above, are there any that I need my Shepherd to deal with today?
In what way is the Lord making me rest?
Prayer:
Good Shepherd,
You make me lie down. You bring everything this is restless in me into deep rest.
You will conquer fear; You will heal my relationships; You will help me to overcome every adversity.
Thank You, my Good Shepherd. I love to be loved by You.
In Your might name I pray, amen.