Right Paths & Green Meadows

By: Joanne Viola

Psalm 23 may be the most well known psalm and yet still fell fresh upon reading these words:

"The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
He let 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."
(verses 1-3, NLT)

The writer, David, was familiar with the ways of a shepherd as he had not forgotten his days of shepherding.

David knew sheep needed - 

green meadows so they could rest without being scared,
long and refreshing drinks, and
a sense of direction.

And as sheep, we need the same today.

God, as our Shepherd, guides us well through His Word and by His Spirit. He knows best how to provide rest, refreshment, and direction to our lost or dry souls.

In his book, The Imitation of Christ, Thomas A Kempis, writes these words as if they were spoken by Jesus directly to us:

"I will spread open before thee the pleasant pastures of the Scriptures, that with enlarged heart thou mayest begin to run in the way of My commandments."

David was well aware that sheep easily become lost, even in the most familiar of paths. They are prone to wander and are in need of continual guidance from the shepherd.

Through His Word and by His Spirit,
God will bring us on right paths to green meadows. 

Photo by Jonathan Poncelet on Unsplash