Slow Me Down
Psalm 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.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.
This is a beloved prayer for many. I thought it was fitting to meditate on the 23rd Psalm on the 23rd day of the month. It’s a prayer inviting us to lie down and rest. To be still. To PAUSE.
Have you ever noticed that King David prayed, “HE makes me lie down… HE leads me… HE restores me”?
Slowing down and resting do not come naturally for many of us. Even when we do slow down, we usually have a glowing screen 6 inches from our face. We are constantly on the go and overstimulated in body, mind, and soul.
Many of us desire to slow down, but we simply can’t seem to do it. So, today I invite you to stop trying so hard and instead embody the prayerful posture of King David and ask the LORD to slow you down.
Asking this of the LORD is an act of faith. Praying Psalm 23 forces us to admit how helpless we are. We like to think that we are highly evolved beings, but at the end of the day, we really are just like sheep. We need the Good Shepherd to guide and care for us. We can’t do this on our own.
I invite you to listen to the song Slow Me Down by The Porter’s Gate. It is a beautiful reflection on Psalm 23. The opening line is a gentle entry point for prayer.
“Oh, Good Shepherd, will you teach me how to rest?”
After listening to the song, take a few moments to reflect on the questions below.
How is your soul?
What does true rest look like for you in this season of your life?
What is one thing Jesus is inviting you to let go of so you can rest?
If you desire to take a PAUSE more than once a week, check out Daily Lectio. It is a daily 10-minute guided meditation through Scripture.
Grace and Peace,
Anthony and Jake
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