Welcome guest blogger Sally Baker…

I have a sweet cocker spaniel named Penny.  She’s about 7 years old and just full of energy.  Each day, she runs the farm we live on at least 2 times and as many as four.  We think she probably runs at least 3 miles a day – which seems like a lot to me given her size.  She swims in the lake too – loooong distances.  When she comes in during the winter months, she’s often wet.  After the friskies settle down – she’s COLD.  She’ll sit there staring at me and I’ll invite her to come bundle in a blanket beside me.  She refuses – often.

I sit and watch her shivers increase and continue the invitation.  Still she stares until finally I force her into the blanket and bundle her up.  Soon, she’s stops shivering and falls asleep – for hours!  Why in the world am I telling you about this?

I was reading Psalm 23 this morning.  Most of us memorized this psalm as a child.  Because of that, I had not really noticed the exact wording of the psalm.  “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.”

 Did you catch it?  “He MAKES me lie down…” 

 Has life gotten you so busy that you don’t lie down and rest?  Are you “shivering” (worrying, or working so hard) that you can’t seem to stop?  Just like I offer Penny a warm place to rest and recover, God offers us a warm place to rest and recover in the shelter of His wings.  We can put it off and continue to petition him for help but still not give in – but if we do He’ll MAKE us lie down in those green pastures beside still waters to rest.

We all need quiet time and rest.  Are you taking yours?  As you give in to His gentle calls, you will find that you are in green pastures, beside still waters, and your soul is being restored.  So, this is a lesson I need and many of you need it too.  Yield to God’s quiet urging for relationship with you – quiet times.  Soon you’ll be in complete rest.

And then, just like Penny, you’ll be able to go at it again – this time with renewed focus on what is really important!