Because God gives us all that we need, we are able to pause and rest.

Psalm 23 continues with a beautiful picture of comfort. "He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul."

These words bring to mind soothing colors and peaceful sounds. Imagine the green of nature and the trickling sound of a quiet mountain brook. This is a place where you feel completely safe. Where you want to raise a family. Where you'd like to be buried.

We have to remember the setting of this psalm. David lived in the desert. Deserts naturally lack water and grass. Finding green pastures requires a guide. Our Shepherd knows exactly how to take us to places of rest in a hostile, exhausting world. He leads us there personally.

The Importance of Lying Down

There is a specific posture mentioned here. Laying down in green pastures is simply being still in God's presence. Sheep eat grass. They can certainly eat standing up, ready to rush off to the next location. Resting means sitting down, getting comfortable, and lingering over the meal.

Spending time with our Shepherd brings deep soul refreshment. We find complete satisfaction right there in His presence. We simply cannot count on one meal a week on a Sunday morning to sustain us. We need daily time deliberately being near Him and letting Him guide us.

A Day to Delight in God

God considers our rest so vital that He commanded it. In Deuteronomy chapter 5, God tells His people to observe the Sabbath day. He reminds them that they were once slaves in Egypt with zero control over their schedules. He rescued them from endless labor.

Sabbath involves resting with God and delighting in Him. We step away from trying to provide for ourselves. We set aside our source of income for a day and trust the Lord completely.

Many of us have structured our lives around constant work. We feel forced to stay busy to survive. We try to go back to slavery in Egypt. God invites us to step out of that exhausting cycle. The early church celebrated together on Sundays, taking time to enjoy God, celebrate in community, and talk about His goodness.

An Invitation to Be Alone

Resting with your Shepherd can feel like a chore. Think about the last time you did absolutely nothing for a while. Being alone with God without any distractions or tasks brings up challenging feelings for many of us.

We might worry about getting bored. We might fear where our minds will go when we finally turn off the noise. We often fill the space in our heads with endless distractions. God can handle all of those fears. He welcomes our honesty.

Here is some homework for this week. Be alone with God for 30 minutes. Come up with a plan to make it doable. Leave your phone in another room. Go for a quiet walk. Sit in your car if your house is too loud. Talk to Him, tell Him how you feel, and give Him a chance to show you what He is doing in your life today.

Group Discussion Questions

  1. When was the last time you did nothing for a while and truly rested?

  2. Read Deuteronomy 5:12-15. How does God's rescue of the Israelites connect with what he's done in your life?

  3. Imagine spending 30 minutes entirely alone with God this week. What feelings or worries does that bring up for you?

  4. What is one distraction that might get in the way of your time with God, and how can you troubleshoot it?