Category: Lead Me to Green Pastures

(Psalm 23)

Storytime: There we go with the teardrops again! It all started with Mom. This week has been challenging for my family, especially for my mom. It has been three years since the passing of my father. My mom was flooded with memories of not wanting to let go but muscled up all the strength she had in her to clean up his closet and get rid of his clothes. With a heavy heart and teary eyes, overwhelmed with emotions of 47 years of a relationship that was a strong, loving marriage, my mom was letting go of the last attachment that connected her and my dad. She did it in silence with no help from anyone. I couldn’t find the right words to be of comfort. I could only imagine this moment, with no like experience.

With all that was going on, something I always admired about my mom is that no matter the opposition, when it comes to the things of God, you can count on her to be present. She practices making time for the Lord even when feeling her worst. Mom and I connect on Facetime every Wednesday evening to pray as a family tradition. One of the positives we gained from the pandemic during the quarantine is how to use our social platform for the glory of God. During our prayer time, it was obvious that Mom was burdened. She expressed that after packing all my dad’s clothes to be picked up by “Purple Heart,” she forgot to take one of Dad’s favorite suits out for remembrance. So she tried to rush home from work before they were picked up, but it was too late. And her prayer request was that God would strengthen and guide her. Immediately, while she was sharing, I heard in the spirit Psalm 23.* I’ve read this psalm numerous times and can quote it like many. But, immediately, I felt the need to encourage my mom in the Lord. Little did I know the Lord was starting her on a healing journey.

Every so often, life takes us on a journey of uncertainty and unrest. Not knowing what’s next can seem to take on a tormenting spirit. Although our faith remains a firm foundation in these moments, our spiritual and natural mind is at consistent war with reality. Not because we don’t know or trust the Lord but because our flesh is vulnerable and preys on the desire to gain clarity in times of uncertainty. With this reality, where it seems obscure, the Lord draws attention to a place of rest and serenity.

*”The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.” (NKJV)

In Psalm 23:1-3, King David declares God’s deity and supremacy in his season of obscurity. To simplify it, if God is the shepherd who guides and leads him during storms in life, he has everything he needs, and there should be no other desire. In other words, the shepherd leads the sheep through and out of danger, developing trust and dependency built on a solid foundation. As difficult as life challenges may seem, our awareness of who God is in the storm changes everything. We can have peace during chaos because green pastures and still waters calm our troubled hearts and await us on the road to restoration. Finally, God desires to lead us on the path of righteousness so that we can realign our emotions, thoughts, and motives with His. May the Lord restore your soul to spiritual health in Him.