Comfort

He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. - Psalm 23v2

What a time of turmoil. It just seems to get more and more unreal. The Middle East is in turmoil, the Irish economy is still in free fall, damaged nuclear plants threaten the Far East with serious radiation exposure, petrol is over €1.50 a litre, and on and on.

In addition to all that there are the 'diverse temptations' and trials that we all go through on a daily basis. We fret about our own needs. We worry about our children and grand children. We are anxious because we don't know what is going to happen next.

And yet, in all that we are told to be 'care-ful' for nothing. We are told to cast all our cares on Him, because He cares for us.

We think things are so much worse, but people have always had trouble. The psalmist knew this and made an application. I don't think Spurgeon is far off when he writes that the 'green pastures' refer to the food provided by the word of God and the 'still waters' illustrate the influence of the Holy Spirit.

Our great Shepherd will always feed us and provide water for us no matter how bad it gets. We can lie down in those refreshing green pastures. We can drink from the fresh still waters no matter what the head lines say.

Oh that we could all flee to those wonderful pastures and those sweet still waters as the bad news assails us and find our rest, comfort, and nourishment in our Great Shepherd.