Thursday, July 16, 2015

Return and Rest

     He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.
     I smile, and breathe a deep sigh of ease, looking at a picture of my husband and younger son relaxing in our back yard.
     It is surely one of those green pasture moments. My son is playing with his pecan-tree-branch walking stick and our fuzzy small dog. My husband is sitting on the porch steps, savoring every spoonful of his ice cream cup. And the sun sets slowly enough to illuminate everything.
     And this is another green pasture moment. I sit on the plane, headed to vacation. Both sons sit behind us, still enjoying their reunion after the firstborn's return from freshman year in college. Husband has his audio book and a nap. I have time to play with my phone, to actually change the wallpaper all by myself, to find the golden sunset picture. To be soaring here and there, all at once.
     The next day I am praying to God, glad for rested sleep and strengthened body, the fullness of the day previous and the newness of the current day, letting thank you fill me until I feel it in my soles. This is green pastures too, taking a longer gaze at my Shepherd.
     And in my prayer I trust him with the times He's led me through and rested me from. As I pray, I am freed from wearying myself all over again when I remember them, and how they tried me.
     And I trust him with the times He's leading me to, where my soul will be called to remember Him and His green pasture. To return to rest not only in summer, but daily, and throughout each day. Not to commit entrance to his green pastures to memory, but to frequent His presence, to seek Him and enter fully into His rest at all times -- instead of being stranded by the situation. To feast in His presence in the presence of my enemies: distraction, frustration, offense, pain, weariness and fear.
     To become rooted there. Tended there. To be reminded that nothing in God's green earth bears fruit from great concerted effort, but rather yields it.