Psalm 23:2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters.
The main difference between sheep and goats is their feeding habit. Sheep graze on grass and plants close to the ground whereas goats are gluttons. Goats look for look for leaves, twigs, vines, and shrubs. Their agility and climbing ability allow them climb trees and jump over fences to scavenge all that they desire. The accurate meaning of He makes me lie down in green pastures in Hebrew is that God feeds us with a sapid, nutritious and luxurious spiritual meal when we follow Him. Fresh grass and green pastures are a high quality dietary requirement for healthy sheep. So, the shepherds in the middle east go looking for mountainsides that receive more rain, for verdant grassy green pastures. Sheep do not have the ability to forage for their own food. They depend and follow the shepherd.
Sheep are also not confident in running water. Further the danger of the wool being soaked and the hazard of the sheep drowning also makes the sheep a bit resistant to approach rushing streams. Fast-moving water can easily sweep away the slow-moving, bulky sheep.
Furthermore, the shepherd does not drive the sheep from behind. He leads them. Unlike the herd of cattle that must be driven from behind, sheep just follow the shepherd. The Good Shepherd leads us but demons drive us into temptation, lust and sin.
The Good Shepherd leads us into the green pastures and still waters:
1. Fodder: Under the staff and scabbard of the Good Shepherd Jesus, we will be fed with healthy spiritual food. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation (1 Peter 2:2). If we are feeding only on Fox News, BBC and social media, we are craving for twigs, vines and shrubs like goats. The fodder they feed on, results in the quality of the meat. Wrong diet will cause indigestion. But when we follow the lead of the Good Shepherd, the insinuations of the world will not affect us. Feed on the green pastures, the Word of God, to be encouraged.
- Follow: Goats have to be driven from behind but sheep follow the Master. God will not force us to follow Him to the still, peaceful and undisturbed waterbed. But when we choose to follow His lead, peace of God will bring stillness to the soul even in a tumultuous tornado. I will make peace your governor (Isaiah 60:17b). Then, the storms on the world will not be able to touch the serenity of the soul. Follow the Good Shepherd and lie down beside the still waters.
- Favour: Sheep follow the Master with confidence that they are led to the flourishing future. Following the master surrounds us with divine favour. Feeding on God’s promise and drinking from the reservoir of His Word unlocks favour. Follow the Master into the superabundant ford of divine favour.
Follow the Shepherd.
John 10:9 “He shall live and shall go in and out and shall find the pasture.”.
Prayer: My Good Shepherd, I commit to follow you without doubts, questions or inhibitions as you are taking me into the palatial, peaceful, prosperous place of favour. Amen.
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