He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.
As part of a school trip, the whole family was loaded up in a charter bus headed for Walt Disney World. Everyone was so excited. We were driving through the night to arrive at the park by the time it opened up the next day. Two of our kids were old enough to be sitting with friends either in a different part of the bus or on another bus entirely. But the youngest…he stayed close by. Sitting behind his mother and I, he was prepared for the journey. He had snacks enough for the whole trip, his favorite stuffed animal, electronic devices to keep him distracted…the works. He was tucked in nicely in a comfy blanket, read for the multiple hour trek to the most magical place on earth.
Things were going well for a few hours…
Then Houston we have a problem…
Maybe “problem” doesn’t accurately encompass the depth of the crisis we became engaged in. First came the sound. The unmistakable sound of someone getting ill. Then came the realization, that the someone was our child, and he had gotten very ill. I’ll save you the sickening details, but let’s just say his clothes, shoes, blanket, and favorite stuffed animal did not survive the journey.
Panic set in. Was it the dreaded stomach bug? We had heard it was going around. Car sickness? I could be possible I suppose. What was it?
About that time we came to an important confession/discovery. What we found out was that he had been eating those snacks. More specifically, he had eaten ALL his snacks. Snacks for the entire week consumed in a matter of an hour or so. All the gummy worms, chips, crackers, you name it, inhaled at record speed. It filled him up, but not for good. We all reaped the consequences.
Filling up on just anything is not beneficial, in fact, it can be harmful. Unfortunately, we don’t always do a good job of differentiating between the good stuff and junk. Thankfully, we have One who leads us to what will fill us and not the stuff that makes us sick.
Just as the shepherd leads the flock across the hillsides, the Good Shepherd leads us to places where we can graze and find nourishment. Sheep won’t naturally find those spots. They need the shepherd to get them there. Those dry, rocky hillsides don’t look they’d be home to good food, but the shepherd knows better.
You’ll always find yourself tempted to graze in areas that aren’t good for you. There are areas that seem like they’re fruitful, but will just make you sick. When we started feasting on what we think will satisfy us rather than what the Shepherd is leading us to, we may find our appetite quenched, but only for a moment. Pretty soon the belly ache (and often heartache) hit with ferocity.
Before we think about what the junk is, let’s consider what the good food is. For us, the source of our nourishment is the Word of God. We find that the more we feed on it, the stronger we are.
1 Peter 2:2 says, “like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation…” Nourishment and therefore growth comes through our feeding on the Word of God. The more we chew on it, the healthier we are. There is a definite connection between feeding on the Word and not lacking anything we need. Our wants are answered through the green pastures.
God continues to speak to us through His Word, how much of it are we regularly feeding on? He is providing wisdom, insight, and direction as we graze on it. Unfortunately, many are led to the green pasture but refuse to eat. They’re sure they’ll figure it out on their own, but seldom actually do. They end up spiritually starving when the food was right in front of them. If the Shepherd leads you to a good place to graze, don’t pass up the opportunity. He has you there for a reason, He knows what you need to feed on.
Questions for Today
- How often are you feeding on the Word of God?
- How can you make regular Bible study an active part of your life?
- Why ( or is it) a challenge to spend time meditating on the Word of God?
- What do you think can increase your appetite for the Word?
Prayer for Today
Lord, thank you for leading me to places where I can grow in You and be provided with all that I need to face each day. Help me follow and eat. Increase my appetite for Your Word! Don’t let me fill up on junk that won’t truly satisfy me.
Amen.
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