Day 23 - Good Rest from the Good Shepherd

Well, good morning.

Hopefully your Saturday is getting off to a great start, and that you're just having a slow morning, able to spend some time with the Lord.

And today we're looking at arguably one of the greatest passages of Scripture from the Book of Psalms, Psalm 23, where we talk about having good rest from a good shepherd.

It says this The Lord is my shepherd, I have all that I need.

He lets me rest in green meadows, he leads me beside peaceful streams.

He renews my strength.

He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.

Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me, your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.

You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.

You honor me by anointing my head with oil, my cup overflows with blessings.

Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm twenty three is perhaps one of the most famous passages of Scripture we know.

Often read at funerals, we get the sense of comfort we all experience when we hear these words, with themes of rest, nourishment, and security, who wouldn't?

However, I wonder if the reason we find such comfort in these words of rest is because we live our lives with an I will sleep when I'm dead mentality.

This psalm is a reminder that we are as fragile as sheep who need a good shepherd to provide for us, teach us to rest, and keep us safe from the danger we often find ourselves in when we try to depend on our own strength.

David, the author of this psalm, was a teenage shepherd whose job it was to care for his father's flock.

He knew sheep.

He knew how susceptible they were to dangerous attacks from enemies, like lions, bears, or thieves.

He knew how easily they could wander off away from the flock if left to their own devices.

He knew that without his care for their fragile bodies they would end up destroying themselves.

We, like sheep, are fragile beings made from the dust of the earth, yet we live like invincible machines running ourselves into the ground.

We work our way into oblivion, refusing the rest we were made for and the rest that God has so graciously provided for us.

We like sheep need a good shepherd to lead and guide us because if we are honest, we're really bad at it.

From the beginning of our creation in Genesis chapter two, we are reminded of how limited we are.

God formed man from the dust of the ground.

He was intentional in the way that he made us, not just because he loves us, but also to show how dependent we are on him.

In our creation he highlights our limitations, but also his strength.

It was the Lord who invited man to eat the food of the garden he had already made.

It was also the Lord who invited man to rest with him on their first day.

On the first full day in the garden, God didn't tell man to get to work, he said get to rest.

In Exodus we read about how God established the Sabbath for mankind.

On six days they were supposed to work, but on the seventh day they were to rest.

This wasn't out of a desire to limit them or to put them in their place, but for them to realize their limitations and depend on the Lord to supply what they needed.

It was for their flourishing in their relationship with Him, and also that they would learn to delight in His presence.

I think the big reason we find such comfort in the words of Psalm 23 is because it sings for what we all crave, to rest and delight in the presence of our good shepherd.

We weren't made for the pace of life that we live at.

We know this.

But we are tired and worn out because we aren't constantly reliant on our fragile bodies to provide for the care only our Creator can give.

The Sabbath is a beautiful gift God has given to us that we can do as the psalmist writes about intentionally rest, delight in God's goodness and mercy, and experience his comfort, peace, and protection.

The Sabbath is a rhythm of life that should be experienced both daily and weekly, daily in the intentional time we set aside in our busy schedules to spend with the Lord.

We do this through spending time in His Word and making space to talk to God in our day, weekly in that we plan a day of Sabbath.

We rest one day a week.

We plan in advance to enjoy God's presence and God's people by trusting our God to provide for us as we rest from our work.

The beauty of Psalm twenty three is that it's an invitation.

The Lord has given us to rest in Him and trust that He is our good shepherd, that He has and will provide all that we need.

So today let us rest from our hurried humanity, so that we may flourish in God's gracious divinity.

So our action this morning is this.

Saturday and Sunday are a great time to experience Sabbath.

What makes you love Jesus more?

Is it taking a walk in nature?

Is it spending time with friends and family?

Is it a good nap?

Whatever it is, make space for that today.

Let that allow you to delight in Jesus and the gift of his presence in your life.

As you do, think about how God made you and rest and rely on him to provide all of your needs.

Thank him for all that he has done for you through Jesus and ask him to teach you how to delight in his presence.

And so this morning we pray.

Jesus, you are my good shepherd.

Thank you for the reminder in Psalm 23 of how human and fragile I am.

Today I'm choosing to make space in my day to rest from humanity and delight in your goodness and mercy.

Help me to experience the peace and comfort that comes from resting in your presence.

And it's in your name I pray.

Amen.

Thank you so much for joining us again this morning.

And we would encourage you to just take some time today to rest in the goodness of the Lord.

And then some of you might be able to do that tomorrow instead of today.

But make sure you prioritize rest that we can facilitate God's presence in our lives.

We love you guys, and we'll see you tomorrow morning at one of our campuses as we continue our series talking about the beautiful resistance.