More of God’s Presence – Week 2
Welcome to Week 2 of our Psalm 23 series – More of God’s Presence. If you missed last week you can view it HERE.
With my long blonde hair pulled tight into pig tails I pranced through the luscious green grass feeling every blade between my toes. I found a nice spot to sit, and I began to examine the grass, so tender and vibrant green.
My grandma’s lawn was the prettiest I had ever seen. Each blade of grass could stand alone. The name was St. Augustine and it beckoned my name from the car window as soon as we pulled up to her house.
As I ponder Psalm 23:2 when the Psalmist says, “He makes me lie down in green pastures,” I think of Grandma’s grass. I don’t know that her backyard quite measures up to a pasture, but in my young mind, the joy that being in her yard brought me is much like the joy I experience when I know things are right between me and my Savior.
Sometimes when life gets hard, I long for rest, for joy, for relief. Just as the St. Augustine grass seems to call for a child to run through it with bare feet, I believe our Shepherd calls for us by name. More than that, I believe He commands us. Psalm 23:2 says, “He makes me.” The problem comes when I decide I don’t want to play in the grass or reply in my own pride, “You can’t make me.”
Perhaps I miss rest in times of distress because I am too busy tending to what I think I need to be doing, rather than submitting to the Shepherd. I want to frolic through the green grass that He has prepared for me. I want to feel the childlike joy and relish in the refreshing moments alone with my Shepherd. I want to hear Him call me closer and I want to know that when He does, I will go.
The memories of running barefoot through Grandma’s lawn brings the sweetest joy to my soul all these years later. Oh how I long to return to our special spot right beside her old aluminum chair. I loved the precious moments when she would pick me up and squeeze me tight gently rocking me back and forth as we watched the birds, and talked about how good God was.
More than Grandma’s embrace and the memories of special moments with her, I want to experience memorable moments with God. His presence is sweeter than the innocence of a child. His love is grander than that of a grandparent.
Oh how God’s presence brings rest to a tired soul.
Oh how God’s grass gives satisfaction to a longing life.
Oh how God’s embrace provides joy for a struggling heart.
Whatever you are facing today, I hope you will listen to the Shepherd’s call when it is your turn to lie down in green pastures. If it’s been a long time since you’ve felt that sweet embrace and His presence of peace seems far away, it’s time to let the Shepherd take you to the pasture. I promise there is rest in His presence. The green grass is soft, thick, and ready for you to run in. You’re never too old and the joy gets sweeter as the days go by.
If you’ve experienced rest in His presence share what it was like in the comments below. If you don’t know what it’s like to rest in the security of God’s presence, you can experience His presence right where you are today.
The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures. Psalm 23:1-2a
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Love & Blessings,
Micah
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So thankful that the “lying down in green pastures” kind of rest that God offers does not depend on circumstances.
Blessings, Micah!
OH Michele, me too! It’s pretty amazing that in spite of anything we face, we can experience sweet rest in His presence. Simply breathtaking!
Yes! He keeps in perfect peace those whose minds are fixed on Him!
He makes me…yes! Thankful when He makes me lie down to rest in His presence. Thank you for the word picture here- brings me to my grandparents lawn, my grandmother’s garden, and that same peace and content. The Lord’s is more!! What a blessing. Thanks, Micah! #Faith-Filled Monday
So glad you connect with this! I hope you have a great week!
Thank you for the encouragement and beautiful photos
Resting in His presence can look different for me on different days. Sometimes it’s literal rest—lay down and take a nap! Other times it is reading a good book or talking with a friend. I’m glad God knows exactly what we need, if we can just allow ourselves to listen to his guidance. Not always easy to do though. Thanks for sharing this encouragement to rest.
It looks different for me too, Lisa. I often need those times of quiet rest. But oh how I love the rest that comes from connection with others. Learning to rest day by day. Thank you for your insight!
Micah – Great post, and I think memories like these are indicators that God has traveled with us all along, even to our grandmothers’ backyards, when we weren’t quite aware of His Presence yet! Visiting from #RaRaLinkup today!
This post speaks to me, especially this part (which I will tweet for you): “Perhaps I miss rest in times of distress because I am too busy tending to what I think I need to be doing, rather than submitting to the Shepherd.”
That is me! I need to be more intentional about making time with my Shepherd instead of trying to get things done and out of the way so I can. It will never happen in that order, so I need to reverse it. Time with Him, then on to the other things.
God’s presence is the greatest treasure of the believer.
When my sister passed some years ago, it was His presence that held me together and gave me peace that I could hardly understand myself.
Thanks for sharing this great reminder, have a super blessed day!
Love
From #WW
Green pastures sound heavenly to me today :). I get way too caught up in the busyness of life and forget the amazing rest He so freely offers. Thank you for this reminder!
What precious memories Micah. My prayer is that I might live long enough for my grandchildren to have those kind of memories of me. We’ve got St Augustine here in Texas all around our pool area. Trying to get it to grow and spread all over this acreage. I love it and I love being barefoot in it, but sometimes those nasty fire ants here are hiding and all of a sudden they are all over my feet.
Opening the pages of your blog is like opening a present every time I stop by, Micah! Your way with words and the wisdom you share through your personal experiences with God is a blessing indeed! xoxo
I’m not sure I remember peace inspired by grass at my grandmothers BUT I do remember waking up to the sound of a morning dove at her home! I would stay with her in the summers. Every morning the dove would coo. To this day the sound of a morning dove brings me an indescribable sense of peace and pleasure.Thinking about it makes me smile! Thanks for the reminder today Micah! Blessings! (Stopping over from #livefree today!)
Same for me too…..the morning dove, that is. Love how God gives us sounds to remind us of Him.
I miss rest because I am too busy tending to what I think should be done. Oh mercy, yes. Great post. #livefree
It’s crazy how busy we get without even realizing it! All of the sudden we are exhausted and wonder what happened. Learning to slow down one day at a time! I hope you have a great day, Michelle!
Those are some amazing memories you have of spending time at your Grandma’s house. Don’t we all want to go back to the place of our childhood freedom, away from all the stress and worry of adulthood? This is a beautiful post!
Thank you, Ashley!