Lie Down.

“He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside still waters.” -Psalm 23:2

I have a confession. My mind drifts. Frequently. I think that’s why I get Ralphie from the movie, “A Christmas Story”. You remember Ralphie, right? That kid always had a daydream going in his imagination. So, as I was looking over the text from Psalm 23, my mind immediately stopped to the words, “lie down” in verse two. Woah, do those words spark a daydream.

Remember as a kid when you were made to take a nap? Man, I HATED mandatory nap time when I was a kid. Nap? Who has time for naps? Are you kidding me? There were imaginary battles to fight (remember lawn darts? I LOVED playing with lawn darts as a kid). There were Star Wars action figures to play with (am I the only kid that would take his Han Solo action figure, put him in a glass of water and then stick him in the freezer overnight so I had a frozen Han in Carbonite to play with the very next day?) But, no. My mom would always say that nap time was not a suggestion; it was “mandatory” (bless her, I look back now and see it was the only peace from my talking that she could find amidst her entire day).

So where am I going with this? I would like to go on the record and say that I miss nap time Seriously. What I wouldn’t give for someone to come in during the work day and say, “Mark, here’s your mat. I am turning the lights off. Hit the floor and no talking. Close your eyes and I will be back in an hour to wake you up.” Sweet thought, right?

Funny how Psalm 23:2 brought this memory back. I love the phrasing found here: “He makes me lie down in green pastures”. Note that the psalmist David does not say, “He asks if I am willing to lie down…” or, “He suggests that a ten minute break might be a good idea…”. No, David says, “He makes me lie down”.

Sheep are funny creatures. In open fields they can be very unpredictable. There’s grass to eat. If one sheep takes off, the rest will run in the same direction. But, the good shepherd knows that sheep must be still. They must take moments of rest. And, honestly, should we be any different? Life is full of crazy moments. We are more connected to the world socially than ever before. Don’t believe me? Take a look at the cars around you the next time you find yourself at a stop light. Chances are, every person you see will be taking a quick look at their cell phone. Next time you are at dinner, look around. How many are more invested in their technology than actually being engaged in conversation?

Jesus certainly saw the value in quiet times.

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go out into the wilderness for a while and rest ourselves.” -Mark 6:31 (Voice)

Jesus recognized that even amidst the demands life can bring, rest and places of quiet are not just great ideas, but they are necessary for sanity, clarity and peace.

Where do you find yourself today? Are you tired? Weary? Been running in the race and need a break? Take a moment. Turn the phone on silent. Find a quiet place and be reminded that you are loved and you are a child of the living God.

I keep a quote close to me that serves as a beautiful reminder that I will let you borrow. Ready?