From The Flyleaf of My Bible - Entries from April 2012

He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
Psalm 23:2a

When a sheep lies down in green pastures, what does that tell you about him?

            -he is full and has no desire to eat another bite

            -he feels totally safe and secure from all threats and dangers

            -he is completely content

After the sheep have eaten all morning, the Shepherd gives them a wonderful place to rest and ruminate (chew the cud).  That is how the sheep gets the greatest benefit from his food.

As a shepherd does that for his sheep, our Great Shepherd does so for us.  He sees to it that all of our needs are met, then he “makes me” lie down in that special, safe and prepared place.  He does so to give us a wonderful opportunity to rest and meditate on the Person, Works and Words of our Great God.   That is how we get the greatest benefit from our spiritual food.

This word “makes” is the weakest of three words used in this Psalm that indicate that our Great Shepherd “makes” us do something.  Here, He makes us do something that is just the natural thing to do.  It is like my wife, Marty, “making me” lie down in the recliner after feasting on the wonderfully delicious Thanksgiving Dinner which she has prepared and served to us.

I hope that all of us are grateful for these special provisions from or our Great Shepherd, that we enjoy His provided rest and that we are greatly blessed by meditating on the Person, Works and Words of our Great God.

I also hope that we follow the example of our Great Shepherd by providing such rest for those that we shepherd on His behalf: our mates, children, Sunday School students, congregations, etc.

He Arose!

And so will we!

1 Corinthians 15: 19-26, 42b-44, 51-58

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.  But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.  For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.  But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.  Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.  For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.  The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. … The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption.  It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power.  It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. …   Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—  in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory. “O Death, where is your sting?  O Hades, where is your victory?”  The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.