Psalms 23:1-3, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul…”

This has been a busy year. I’m not complaining, because I’m thankful for every open door that allows me to continue serving God. There is this one person, she knows who she is, who reminds me every so often that I’m not a spring chicken anymore, and I feel that more some days than others. I said this to a friend one day, and he looked at me with an understanding gaze. I said, “I’m so tired I can barely stand up. I’m almost too tired to sit down!”

As a teenager, I remember criticizing the song, “Peace In The Valley.” The words of the original songwriter say, “I’m tired, and so weary, but I must toil on…” I was young and full of vim and vigor, as they say, but at this stage of my life, I think I understand now what the writer was saying a little better than I did when I was a spring chicken. But that song goes on to beautifully say…

“There the flow’rs will be blooming,
The grass will be green.
And the skies will be clear and serene.
The sun ever shines, giving one endless beam,
And no clouds there will ever be seen.

There the bear will be gentle, the wolf will be tame.
And the lion will lay down, by the lamb.
The host from the wild will be led by a child,
I’ll be changed from the creature I am.

No headaches, or heartaches, or misunderstands,
No confusion or trouble won’t be.
No frowns to defile, just a big endless smile,
There’ll be peace and contentment for me.

Sheep have a difficult time pacing themselves, so they need a guide who can provide them with a healthy cadence. Shepherds don’t drive; they lead. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, leads us to green pastures, soothing streams, where our souls can be restored. There is peace in the valley.