We are tired. And when life brings challenges, the little bit of margin we may have is quickly taken up. We find ourselves weary and then wonder why it's so hard to enjoy our lives.
Although we love our independence, the truth is we need someone to watch out for us, to tenderly care for us, and make sure we get our rest. In other words, we're like sheep in need of a shepherd.
Without the care of a shepherd, sheep would soon get in trouble. If sheep followed other sheep, the flock would be worn out, in danger, and deprived of what's needed to survive.
The same thing happens to us. When we let the world around us define our need for rest, we put our hearts at risk.
The good news is we have a Good Shepherd. His Name is Jesus. He doesn't want to drive us so hard that we fall down from exhaustion. He doesn't want to force us to go through life without nourishment and refreshment. When we are exhausted and feel like we're just "doing what we have to do," He invites us to pause and rest.
The Bible speaks of God as our Shepherd. And as I read Psalm 23, my tired heart longs for such tender care: "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul" (Psalm 23:1-3a).
-Holley Gerth
Psalm 62:1-2 says, "Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken." (NIV)
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