A word fitly spoken is like APPLES OF GOLD in a setting of silver – Proverbs 25v11
David, the writer of Psalm 23, uses his experiences as a shepherd in his youth to highlight his relationship with the Lord. Today our devotion is concerned with the second part of verse 2: “He leads me beside the still waters”. We all have our own perception of still waters and maybe your perception is of water that doesn’t move. But stagnant water is lifeless and a cesspool of life-threatening diseases as well as a breeding ground for mosquitoes. The still water that David refers to is vibrant, flowing, sweet to drink and life giving because it is fed from a spring. Yet there are times when the water can be turbulent – when a strong wind gets up or there is a flash flood, but it remains still water. How can that be? Our perception of turbulence is not the same as that of the Lord. Remember when the disciples were terrified their boat was going to sink in the storm yet Jesus was fast asleep. Christ reprimanded the disciples for their lack of faith because to the Lord it remained still water because He was in the boat. As the children’s chorus says “with Christ in the vessel we can smile at the storm”. Paul emphasises this in Philippians 4v7: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Friends, when the still water you are drinking from seems turbulent and threatens to overwhelm you, understand that the Good Shepherd is still leading you. He exposes us to what may seem unbearable so we will become more dependant, trusting and obedient on Him. But He promises and ensures his sheep are not exposed to danger that they cannot cope with. 1 Corinthians 10v13: “And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it”. Please note that the Lord knows what we can bear and often it is far more than we think. Friends, if you think you are being led next to a raging torrent and your life is a turbulent mess, you have to believe the Good Shepherd is still leading you because to Him it remains still water. He is not caught unaware – He has been this way before and knows all the escape routes so trust and obey because “there is no other way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey”.
Amen
Graeme Greenwood