Lie Down in Green Pastures, Now?

Who am I to think I can go on Retreat in times as troubled as these?

Just got the news.  The Covid 19 quarantine is continuing 16 MORE days!  What will this do to the world?  What evil forces are trying to destroy us?  Will this be the beginning of the "end" ushering in the one world money system, the "last days" and tribulation spoken of since Christ walked the earth?

Ps 23 tells me "He makes me; wants me, encourages me, gently presses me .. to lie down in green pastures. Instead of worrying, faith would tell me to take my Shepherd's hand, walk over the hill to green pastures & lie down.

But I'm afraid Lord.  Afraid of what all this may mean.  Afraid of the hardships that may be ahead. I find myself like Lot's wife when the righteous were told to leave the city and not look back.  You promised you would take them to safety if they would put their hand in yours and go.

And yet like her, it's so hard for me not to "look back" at the devastation happening in our world.  So hard not to look over my shoulder to make sure my enemy is not sneaking up to overtake me.  Struggling to trust that you are sufficiently watching my back.  I feel I must stay on guard to watch myself.

You say, "Come to the green pastures."

You say, you have still waters for me to drink from.  Even now, Father?

Even now, amidst all this chaos and trouble?

There you will restore my soul.

If I will take his hand, he will take care of the world and all its troubles.

I wonder when David wrote this Psalm?  His life was not one of ease.  When he penned these words was he reigning in peace as King?  Or was this one of the many times he was running for his life from King Saul?

"The Lord is my Shepherd. I have everything I need.  He's makes me lie down in green pastures"; ... as he ran, hid in caves & had nothing to eat?

"He leads me beside quiet pools of fresh water"; .... as he chose to look into the face of His almighty God & trust in His promises instead of at his circumstances

We are living in extremely stressful times with the chaos happening in the world.  More than ever, we don't know what's ahead.  The truth is, before this happened, we didn't know either.

We just thought we did.

It's now, when our world is utterly uncertain that His hand is stretching out.

Go with the Shepherd to the green pastures, drink from the pools of cool water.  There, He will restore our souls.

Oh Shepherd I hear your voice calling.  The world is not on my shoulders.  When I look back I am afraid.  I do not need to watch my own back.  You are diligently watching it.  I ask for your strength. Turn my eyes to you. I am coming.