Contentment is the child of a grateful heart.

This was a good entry for me to reread. Today a friend of me texted me about an urgent need he had for one of his errant offsprings. I will not share the details. God knows and prayers would be appreciated. It reminds me that there will be green pasture days and dark valley days as well. Yet one thing is sure - "All the way my Shepherd leads me" - for this I am ever grateful.

"Soar"

Here I remind myself what You said over me
Here I remind my soul who You are

You said You won’t relent
Won’t let go, won’t forget
Every promise You have whispered to my heart

As I wait, As I wait on You

I’m gonna run and not grow weary
I’m gonna walk and not grow faint
Rise up on wings like eagles
To soar

I know with everything you’re with me
I know you’re working as I wait
Lift me up on wings like eagles
To soar

This desert holds a song I will sing, on and on
You’re a river when the ground I walk is dry

You will set the crooked straight
Clear my path, make a way
You will lead me from the valley to the heights

As I wait, As I wait on You

I’m gonna run and not grow weary
I’m gonna walk and not grow faint
Rise up on wings like eagles
To soar

I know with everything you’re with me
I know you’re working as I wait
Lift me up on wings like eagles
To soar

Creator, Keeper
Lifebreather
Your name is greater than anything I’ve faced

Sustainter, Saviour,
Strongholdbreaker
Your name is greater than anything I’ve faced

As I wait, as I wait on You
I will wait, God, I will wait on You

I’m gonna run and not grow weary
I’m gonna walk and not grow faint
I’ll rise up on wings like eagles
To soar

I know with everything you’re with me
I know you’re working as I wait
Lift me up on wings like eagles
To soar

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Writer(s): Meredith Andrews
Copyright: Mesmerized Music, Word Music LLC 

A-Z Lyrics

Video:

https://youtu.be/AB_ydkWbdBk

Witness:

Today was another one of those days that began problems and ended with praise. I was attending men’s Bible study when my Bank sent me my daily balance. It was in the negative realm and had one overdraft fee charged against it. My daughter’s power bill had just come through and caused the negative balance. Up until recently our balance had been buoyed by our tax returns melded together, when the summer came her weekly income declined drastically. She is a server at Longhorn here in Tulsa. Summertime is a bad time for servers, tips dwindle as less people eat out; compound that with a lousy schedule and the money cushion disappeared as we relied mainly on my income to pay all the bills. My bonus check will come next week. So, this morning I found myself in a fix. Because it was an emergency, I had to take the money my daughter was going to use to pay her car note to cover her electric bill and get us out of the hole. As I traveled to the bank I found myself asking God for wisdom as to why this had happened to us; why, when I was trying to do right with the money I gave; that along with a load of self-condemnation for not paying closer attention to the bank balance. Later that day I found the answer, it was in order that God could show His glory in making a way when there seemed no way. He provided money to my daughter and son-in-law through the generous help of some brothers from the Band of Brothers, a men’s organization that meets twice a year for 12 weeks of fellowship and intensive discipleship on issues that face men in our society. My platoon leader delivered the money along with some employment for my son-in-law who is unemployed at the moment. So my Shepherd provided again and so I will sing:

“Sustainter, Saviour,
Strongholdbreaker
Your name is greater

than anything I’ve faced”

 ― from Soar by Meridith Andrews

WORD:

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

2He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 4Even though I walk through the darkest valley,a I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

 Green Pastures. Anyone who has been to rural areas where flocks of sheep and cattle graze knows the beauty and the serenity of such scenery. Today I felt like I was in the dark valley, but ended up in a green pasture of blessing (no, not because money is green) and I felt refreshed by the quiet, restful stream of flowing grace.

Commentators differ on the meaning of Green Pasture. To begin with, the word means tender or new grass. Barnes says:

Psalms 23:2

The word rendered in the margin "tender grass" - deshe°- refers to the first shoots of vegetation from the earth-young herbage-tender grass-as clothing the meadows, and as delicate food for cattle, Job 6:5. It differs from ripe grass ready for mowing, which is expressed by a different word - chatsiyr.

(from Barnes' Notes, Electronic Database Copyright © 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

For some it refers to The Lord providing spiritual nourishment for His sheep :

Psalms 23:1

23:2 a. The first blessing David experienced was spiritual nourishment. As a shepherd leads the sheep to fresh grass for feeding, so the Lord leads His people. One who follows the Lord does not lack any spiritual nourishment. Under-shepherds (cf. Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2) are expected to feed the flock (Ezek 34:1-10; John 21:15-17) as well. Food for the soul is the Word of God (Heb 5:12-14; 1 Peter 2:2).

(from Bible Knowledge Commentary/Old Testament Copyright © 1983, 2000 Cook Communications Ministries; Bible Knowledge Commentary/New Testament Copyright © 1983, 2000 Cook Communications Ministries. All rights reserved.)

 Others see only rest pictured here. For example Jamieson, Fausset & Brown say:

2. green pastures—or, "pastures of tender grass," are mentioned, not in respect to food, but as places of cool and refreshing rest.

http://biblehub.com/commentaries/jfb/psalms/23.htm

However, most probably would agree that it has both meanings. Barnes says:

Psalms 23:2

The idea is that of calmness and repose, as suggested by the image of flocks "lying down on the grass." But this is not the only idea. It is that of flocks that lie down on the grass "fully fed" or "satisfied," their wants being completely supplied. The exact point of contemplation in the mind of the poet, I apprehend, is that of a flock in young and luxuriant grass, surrounded by abundance, and, having satisfied their wants, lying down amidst this luxuriance with calm contentment. It is not merely a flock enjoying repose; it is a flock whose wants are supplied, lying down in the midst of abundance.

(from Barnes' Notes, Electronic Database Copyright © 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

All of us who know the Lord, have experienced His abundant provision. Yet we will see that there may be lean times in our lives which David will talk about in a few verses from now. Lest we think in terms of physical comfort and provision, which is what we are most accustomed to do, let us consider the great things He provides.

2 Peter 1:1-4

1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:

2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

NIV

Eph 1:3

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

NIV

We also understand with the Apostle Paul:

Phil 4:12-13

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

NIV

Contentment and gratitude, then, are the key to everything the Lord provides. Contentment is the child of a grateful heart. A grateful heart gives birth to a contented heart that leads to peace and rest in the Lord- in the green pasture!