by George | Nov 13, 2021 | Devotional, Newsletter
Green Pastures
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.”
Psalms 23:1-2
We have the best looking lawn in the neighborhood.
But, I can’t take any credit for it. A new neighbor moved in the other side of our duplex last year. He and his wife had just sold their “farm”. He was used to taking care of several acres of land, keeping the grass cut and watered.
Now, he focuses on the small lawns in front of their apartment and ours.
His meticulous work has yielded an amazing, lush, green lawn.
Psalm 23:1-2 speaks of green pastures.
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.”
Michael McKelvey says:
“In the Hebrew, the text literally reads, “In pastures of grass, he makes me to lie down; upon waters of rest, he guides me.” In the semi-arid landscape of ancient Palestine, grazing land was not abundant. Shepherds would have to guide their flocks to the places with enough grass for their sheep. The shepherd needed to know where to go, the best route to take, and the pace at which to drive the flock. There would likely be dry and difficult terrain to cross, as well as untold dangers from wild beasts and thieves along the way.”
Life can be like the arid desert. I’m so thankful that we have a Shepherd who leads us and nourishes us in pastures of green.
No matter what comes your way, keep following the Shepherd. He will lead you and provide for you.
Let our prayer today be the words of the hymn Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us…
“Savior, like a shepherd lead us,
Much we need Thy tender care;
In Thy pleasant pastures feed us,
For our use Thy folds prepare:
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
Thou hast bought us, Thine we are;
Blessèd Jesus, blessèd Jesus,
Thou hast bought us, Thine we are.”
by George | Nov 9, 2021 | Devotional, Newsletter
Be A Tree
“He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.”
Psalms 1:3
In an old Peanuts comic strip from 1964, Lucy is trying to give Linus a nature lesson.
They are watching the leaves fall from a tree.
Lucy: “This happens every year. It’s one of the cycles of nature. There is a real lesson to be learned from this… Do you know what it is?”
Linus: “Don’t be a leaf… Be a tree.”
Leave it to Linus to find a deeper, kind of theological observation.
I think he has a point. In the springtime, leaves look really beautiful on the trees. They continue to hang on through the summer. Then, fall comes. Leaves fall from the trees.
But, the tree remains, even in the bitter cold of winter.
A tree is mentioned in Psalm 1.
“He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.”
Psalms 1:3
Did you notice that the leaves in this verse don’t wither? They are ever green.
It’s a beautiful picture of what it’s like to draw our strength and vitality from God. Jesus said it this way:
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.”
John 15:4
It’s possible to be like a tree. Steady, secure, abiding and drawing from His life giving Waters.
by George | Oct 7, 2021 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter
After These Acts of Faithfulness…
“After these acts of faithfulness, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and besieged the fortified cities, and thought to break into them for himself.”
2 Chronicles 32:1
You did your best, but it didn’t seem to matter. In spite of your efforts, your forward progress, opposition and difficulties came. Disappointment sets in.
Hezekiah followed God. He led a “revival” in the land, helping to turn the hearts of many to the LORD. Hezekiah got rid of the foreign gods, organizing temple priests, singers and helpers, leading people to worship the one true God.
2 Chronicles 31:20-21 offers a summary:
“Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered.”
Everything looked pretty bright and positive, right?
Yes…. Then the opposition came.
“After these acts of faithfulness Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and besieged the fortified cities, and thought to break into them for himself.”
2 Chronicles 32:1
What did Hezekiah do?
He didn’t give up. Instead, he, along with the prophet Isaiah, went to God in prayer.
“But King Hezekiah and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed about this and cried out to heaven.”
2 Chronicles 32:20
God answered in a miraculous way!
“And the Lord sent an angel who destroyed every mighty warrior, commander and officer in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned in shame to his own land. And when he had entered the temple of his god, some of his own children killed him there with the sword.”
2 Chronicles 32:21
So, keep on serving the Lord! When setbacks occur, talk to the Lord about it, and don’t give up.
Don’t ever give up!
“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.”
Chuck Swindoll
