Eastertide

May 8, 2019

Scripture Reading: Psalm 23
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.
He leads me in right paths
   for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
   I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
   your rod and your staff—
   they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
   in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
   my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
   all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
   my whole life long.

My mother was most at home in a garden or anywhere around grass or flowers or growing vegetables or trees. She had two maiden aunts that live near her while she was growing up and I think they had a big influence on her. Apparently, they provided many of the flowers for funerals in their hometown. Mom could immediately identify most flowers and trees. She maintained her yard and garden well into her 90’s.

My brother and sister both lived on farms and worked in the town where mom lived. My sister would have lunch with her, and my brother got in the habit on running by to check on her on his afternoon coffee break.  On one of those visits as he turned into the driveway, he saw Mom lying in the yard and his heart rose into his throat as he jumped from his truck and ran to see if she was all right. She did not know why he was so distraught. She was just resting. It was a beautiful day. She had been pulling weeds out of the lawn (she did not like to use weed killers) and just laid back on the grass to rest for a while before she finished her work. She truly was lying down in green pastures, most likely saying a prayer thanking God for the beauty of the earth.

The Psalmist tells us in the above scripture that God makes us lie down in green pastures. There is, indeed, times to work and times to play but we all need rest for not only our bodies but also our souls.

Prayer: Lord, abide with us when you see the need for us to lie down in green pastures to restore our soul. Renew in us the joy of our salvation. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.