Sabbath as a Palace
Purpose is to relax into the peace of sabbath
Scripture Psalm 23
“The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets 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. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.”
There are places in Scripture that are powerful, so deep, that to recite them is to experience them. Psalm 23 is one of those places. As one scholar said, “The Psalm itself is green pasture; it is still water; and it does restore my soul”. Psalm 23 is very personal. There are no references to “we” or “us” or “they”, but only “my” and “me” and “I” and “you”. This is David’s testimony, his personal experience with God. This Psalm is preached at many funerals. It is precious to us, a blam to our wounded souls. And what makes this a constant friend is that it covers all of life. With simple beauty, it speaks of green pastures and still waters as well as dark valleys and enemies and (ad ver si ties).
What comforts us the most is the psalm’s confidence. David really believes and knows this is true about God. He has experienced God in these ways, heard His voice, followed His lead, felt His care. Beneath the beauty of his words there are solid convictions, formed in the crucible (kroo-suh-buhl) of crisis.
Dr. Charles Allen, a Methodist minister, said a friend came to see him. He told the pastor the doctor told him to talk to his pastor. He was nervous, tense and he had literally worried himself sick. They talked for a while then Pastor Allen took a pad of paper from his desk drawer. Doctor’s write prescriptions so he said this is what I want you to do. Follow the directions exactly as I have written them: 5 times a day for 7 days read prayerfully and carefully the 23rd psalm. When you wake up before each meal and at bedtime, read psalm 23. A week later when the man returned he was literally a different person. The power of the Shepherd’s psalm is a prescription for the problems and pressures of our day. One of the things that we certainly need if we are going to have a life worth living is a faith in something that is big enough for life. The psalmist begins where we always need to begin. . . .with a God worth serving.
Sheep are not intelligent animals. They are defenseless and dependent and they live by faith in the Shepherd. David, who wrote or whose life inspired the psalm, is saying that in our anxious, nervous world we, too, live in dependence on our Shepherd.
A family traveling on a vacation to Washington D.C. got lost. The kids said “Daddy don’t you think we should stop and ask somebody how to get there.” Mom said, “Listen, daddy knows the way. Trust him”. An hour later, greatly humbled dad stopped and asked for directions. Pride sometimes keeps us from admitting our need for direction. David knew the pain of trying to chart his own course. The prophet Nathan confronted him with his sin, and that moment of brokenness, the shepherd-king saw his need for divine direction. The Lord Is My Shepherd!
Through psalm 23 we see how God tenderly takes care to provide, guide, and protect us. David, now a king, was looking back at his time as a shepherd to paint a picture of how God cares for our needs. A shepherd represents a more close and intimate relationship. Whereas a king might do what is best for the majority, a shepherd knows each one of his sheep. Luke 15: 4 says, What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?
This is how God cares for us. He knows each of our comings and goings, he knows every hair on our heads, he knows when even one of us is lost and has made every provision to find us through His Son Jesus Christ.
Now if the Lord is our Shepherd, that makes us the sheep. Prone to wander. Entirely and always reliant on our Shepherd, whether we realize it or not. We need to open our eyes to the fact that we need God for everything. He makes all the provisions in our lives. When we lie to ourselves that we can do things on our own we wander and drift away from our true source, looking for satisfaction in artificial places. So when David says “I shall not want” he is acknowledging how completely reliant he is on one God as his Shepherd. God my good shepherd will ensure I have everything I need. God is my personal shepherd. God is going to provide for all our physical needs and He will fulfill me. The word “want” in today’s text means to lack, decrease, empty, or run dry. What David is telling us: 1) there are areas in our lives that only God can fulfill and He will fulfill them. 2) we need to make a decision not to desire anything outside of the scope of what God wants for us.
David boldly declares “I shall now want” then we come walking through the valley of the shadow of death. To me this is telling us that our shepherd provides no matter what. It is not conditional. The Lord is my Shepherd, and we will lack nothing, PERIOD! It is human nature to constantly think about our what if in life: didn’t have, didn’t achieve, etc. God is enough. An empty cup can not refill itself. A sheep can not lead itself. We can not truly be truly fulfilled without God.
We can trust God has put us here at this moment for a reason. That we will be equipped and empowered, our needs met. In Joyful moments, sad moments, and trials He is always there by our side. He created a pathway through Jesus so we can be forgiven, healed and made whole. Jesus left us a helper, The Holy Spirit. We are never left unattended.
In all of Psalm 23 the word sabbath is not mentioned, so what does it have to do with sabbath: 4 things
Feeling content with what we have,
Finding rest and restoration in nature,
Living without fear,
Having more than enough of what we need.
What changes could you begin to implement in your life this very week to start moving toward the possibility of experiencing sabbath not just one day but everyday? Our Faith! Faith is our place of rest. Proverbs 3: 5-6, Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do and he will show you which path to take.
Re-read the scripture
Scripture Psalm 23
“The Lord is my shepherd;(Relationship) I have all that I need. (Supply) He lets me rest in green meadows; (Rest) he leads me beside peaceful streams. (Refreshment) He renews my strength. (Healing) He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. (Purpose) Even when I walk through the darkest valley, (Testing) I will not be afraid, (Protection) for you are close beside me. (Faithfulness) Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. (Discipline) You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. (Hope) You honor me by anointing my head with oil. (Consecration) My cup overflows with blessings. (Abundance) Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, (Blessings) and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.” (Security & Eternity)
Prayer
Father, I am so grateful for your love, grace and mercy. We come before you today with a joyful heart knowing you will provide for our needs and throw a few wants in along the way. What peace and comfort we experience knowing if we fall off the path you will search until you find us and bring us back home. Father let us find our rest in you; in Jesus’s name we pray. Amen
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