Psalm 23:2b “…he leads me beside quiet waters,”
[As our good Shepherd, you know of our need to drink deeply of your Truth, so you carefully and consistently lead us to the source–your Word. You encourage us to come to quiet waters, to spend focused and unhurried time with you.
However, instead of coming to drink wisely, we often wade into these waters with our worries and impatience, with our thoughts riled, muddying our perspective. We stir up the quiet waters, making them less refreshing.
But you are working to train us in quietness and contemplation, teaching us to lift our souls to you, to pour out our hearts and then wash our thoughts, worries and frustrations with the cleansing water of your Word. Thank you for your patience and graciousness.
I praise you that your provision of quiet waters is perfect: it is pure, it is abundant, it is healing. In our physical lives, drinking sufficient water can prevent problems caused by dehydration, and can speed recovery from sicknesses we have.
So it is in the spiritual realm. Time with you, in your Word, in worship, drinking deeply of Truth brings transformation, strengthening of faith, deepening of understanding, broadening of surrender and nurturing of our first love. These prevent us from falling unnecessarily into sins like rebellion, selfishness, worry and fear.
Being in your Word–reading, memorizing, meditating, praying–are such unnatural activities, fought against by the world, the flesh and the devil. Yet they are the most normal activities for the sheep who love you, desire to live for you and are committed to following you wholeheartedly. We must replace the natural with the spiritual.
Praise you for the privilege of soaking in the Word with the understanding your Spirit brings. Help me to drink of it daily, to delve into its depths and see more of your beauty and goodness. I thank you today for what you will teach me through it. Glory be to you.]
