Three Important Personal Things

Provision: Green Pastures and Still Water

A couple of weeks ago my blog was titled Quiet Restoration. I shared the relaxing picture of sheep being led to rest in green pastures and beside quiet waters (Psalm 23:2). It was such a great contrast to rushing waterfalls and fields full of weeds.

In writing Quiet Restoration, it didn't feel complete until I included the start of verse 3: He restores my soul.

The next morning, my waking thought was He restores my soul! I've never really thought much about that. I'd like to learn more. So, I set out on a quest: My soul . . . what is it?

Joyce Meyer, in her Everyday Life Bible, made a comment that really stuck with me: "We are a spirit, we have a soul, and we live in a body."*

Her commentary on Psalm 23 got my attention with this line: "The soul is comprised of the mind, the will, and the emotions."** Think about it. Would you be a whole person if one of these was missing?

Water Can Restore Green to Dry Places

The phrase He restores my soul began to take meaningful shape for me. 

Being married to a guy who loved car shows, I was quite familiar with restoration. Some owners included pictures of their awesome autos as "junkers" before they were restored.

What I found interesting was my own need for restoration. I'm usually an "up" person, so I couldn't miss the fact that this week I was noticeably "down."

Three things were clamoring for attention: 1) Negative feelings, 2) negative thoughts, and 3) my personal decision on how to handle them.

The choice was mine. God did not create us as robots, and He cares about every part of us . . . body, soul, and spirit.

After the Storm, A Rainbow of Hope

Are you feeling out of sorts, confused, or disappointed by life? Do you feel a need for restoration . .  a way to get back to the positive side of things?

That was me. I read Psalm 23 and asked the LORD to restore my soul. I later realized my "downers" were gone.

He'll do it for you, too. Just ask.

*The Everyday Life Bible (Amplified Version), Joyce Meyer, Faith Words, NY, NY, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Life Point, p. 1984.

**The Everyday Life Bible (as above), Psalm 23, God Restores and Leads, p. 835. 

Quiet Restoration

Still Waters Look Inviting

Dad and I used to joke around with an old cliche. I'd say, "Still waters run deep." He'd laugh and say, "Cold, too."

We had some great discussions about spirituality, and I'm thankful for that heritage.

My version of still water has changed over the years. As a teenager, I enjoyed meditating on some Bible verses before going to sleep.

I still do that, but I also have found time to enjoy deeper waters with a study Bible in the morning. Study Bibles* have a variety of help to make things clearer.

Fog Cannot Upset Calm Waters

There have been times when I wandered away from still waters and got lost in the bubbling shallow waters of rocky times.

But as I stayed near the river, I found my way back to the spiritually refreshing quiet waters.

Psalm 23 is a good example. It starts out beautifully: The Lord is my Shepherd . . . He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.

One summer we visited Niagara Falls. It was amazing to walk under the rushing waters, but so impossible to relax. Deafening noise and wet slippery walkways threatened personal safety.

I prefer quiet waters. In the heart of our town, there's a small creek I enjoy checking out after a rain.

That's when it's easiest to enjoy the reflection of blue sky and white clouds. I may be looking down, but through the reflection, I'm also looking up.

That's the way it is when I read my Bible. I read by looking down. But while reflecting on what I've read, I'm looking up.

The Peace of Green Pastures & Still Waters

Life has a way of wearing us down. We need a quiet restoration regularly. Why wait? Start today.

Sit yourself down by the quiet waters of Psalm 23. Read and reflect on what the Good Shepherd can do for you. 

*Two of my long-time favorite study Bibles: Life Application Study Bible (NLT), Tyndale House; Spirit-Filled Life Study Bible for Students (NKJV), Thomas Nelson Publishers.