Last year I was overly fascinated by learning about sheep and the Shepherd. It’s probably due to the fact that we were studying Psalm 23 in my weekly Bible Study at church. The study was much more than just a familiar Psalm that is recited mostly at funerals. It is rich with Truth of how close our Shepherd, God, wants to be with His people, His flock. His protection and care for us lead and guide us through every aspect of our life. Sheep are bonded to their Shepherd and to one another. Does it surprise you why we are called the “sheep of His pasture?”
It’s All About Posture
So what’s the correct posture for sheep? I asked that question and found this: “Come let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before our Maker, for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care.” Psalm 95: 6-7
This particular Psalm 95 is a call to worship, and a call to acknowledge, by a submissive attitude and obedient heart, the Lord’s Kingship over His people.
As God’s sheep, we often wonder where we are called. Looking at this verse it seems the first place we are called to, is to a place of worship, an assembly of worship, recognizing the Lord as King over His flock. Have we postured ourselves here yet?
Here’s what I saw before: “Come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song.” Psalm 95: 2 Thanksgiving is an intricate part of worship that comes before our expression from our hearts.
Look at this parallel about pasture: When we learn to obey and implement this Truth, we move right into the place where He wanted us to go all along: “He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads us beside still waters, He restores our soul.” Psalm 23: 2-3
Allow God, as our Shepherd, to lead us to the place of thanksgiving and honor, coming before Him in worship. Posturing ourselves, in this way, will lead us right into where He wanted us all along: green pasture living.
What’s green pasture living? It’s the place of rest that we get restored from. Part of the Shepherd’s care is teaching us to “Posture to Pasture.”
- For those who are called to Pastor, this is a necessary part of your care! Make sure this is part of your regime of Pastoring.
We have all heard the phrase “The grass is not always greener on the other side.” In this case, it is greener on that side! That’s why God made sure the adjective “green” was included in Psalm 23, saying, “He makes me lie down in green pastures…”
The Shepherd’s job is to get us to cross over to the other side. Green is symbolic of flourishing. We need to nourish to flourish. Some of our nourishment comes by resting. Take time to feed on this. Sheep love green grass and still waters. They won’t drink from a moving stream, it has to be still. Take time to be still and drink!
Posturing Myself Correctly,
Mary Beth Pecora
