Psalm 23 Study - Freedom From Fear

“He makes me lie down in green pastures” (Psalm 23:2a)

My cubicle needs a couch. It’s furnished with a desk and chair, but a nap after lunch is out of the question unless I have something comfy to sleep on. And if I had a TV to drone in the background…golden.

(I wish I looked like this.)

(Although I so wouldn't wear that shirt to work.)

(Or probably anywhere.)

If I weren’t afraid that I would snore in a very public and obnoxious manner, it would be all about the z's.

Something else that would put a crimp in my cubicle napping plans would be if I were afraid that someone was crouching behind the cubicle wall, waiting for me to close my eyes before attacking me with a stapler (or other office-related paraphernalia…a staple remover would probably do some damage too…but I could totally take anyone wielding a hole puncher). I couldn’t sleep if I were afraid that somebody was waiting to staple me to death.

(Ridiculous, I know.  But try to stick with me.)

So it won’t surprise you to learn that sheep can’t rest when they’re afraid, either.  In A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, Phillip Keller explains that sheep will lie down only when they are free from

• Fear
• Hunger
• Disease
• Conflict

That’s a lot to think about in one day, so today we’ll focus on freedom from fear.

Sheep have fear of physical attack. You know, lions, tigers and bears (oh my!).  But my lions, tigers, and bears come in the form of spiritual attacks. For example:

• I watch a tragedy on Law & Order and wonder if that could happen to my family.
• I have an ache or pain, diagnose myself on WebMD (always a mistake), and incorrectly find that I have a fatal illness.
• My husband drives away and I wonder if he’ll get into a car accident.

The result is a tired and restless heart.

How can I be a good wife while hanging onto my husband tightly in fear of losing him? How can I enjoy life while experiencing emotional turmoil over every ache and pain? How can I serve God to the best of my ability while not trusting His care for me?

I can’t.

And I don’t have to.

Scripture tells us that God sent Jesus “to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear”. My shepherd is willing and able to rescue me from fear if I turn to Him.

He rescued me by speaking to my restless heart: “Relax and rest, God has showered you with blessings.” Relax and rest. And why? Because God has showered me with blessings.

When a lion roars at me, or a tiger pounces on me, or a bear swipes his claws at me, I remember the blessings. And there are many, personal and tailor-made for this fearful woman. Maybe I’ll share a few with you if we ever sit down over a cup of coffee. (A tall skinny vanilla latte for me, please.) But I couldn’t possibly recount them all. I say with David, “Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.”

But what about when fears become realities? A diagnosis. An accident. A job loss. I refuse to belittle any of these situations with a pat answer. If God allows the unthinkable into my life, I pray that I will not allow the descending fog to hide the face of my Shepherd. And that I will eventually be able to look for the blessings. Because I know that there will be many. Personal and tailor-made for this trusting sheep. And I will rest in them.

Questions:

• What fears loom in your mind? How has God spoken to them?
• What blessings has God showered you with?

Comments

[Julissa]

I'm afraid of being alone. I'm afraid of being alone with MS and disability. I'm afraid of being alone, with MS and disability, battling the world.

I have to make a daily decision to lay it at his feet, to release it, to trust Him with me. I remember watching Tammy Faye Baker's last interview. She kept saying that with a huge smile on her face despite all the pain. I trust Him with me. She looked like someone who was at peace in green pastures.