The Making II

Ps.23:² (NKJV) “He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; ³ he restores my soul…” [with emphasis].

Some time ago, I saw a documentary on a huge sea turtle that found its way on shore in Florida. The turtle was meant for the ocean, so it did not know what to do on land, and it began to wander towards the buildings instead of going toward the ocean. If that turtle had shown up on shore in Lagos Nigeria, it would have become pepper soup. A lot of people would have said God really makes a way where there seems to be no way. However, the people in Florida tried to preserve it. So, they used a hand-controlled crane to turn the turtle over and placed it on its back. They had to put a chain around the turtle’s hands and feet because its survival instinct kicked in. They then hooked it to a truck and dragged it to the ocean.

But while they were dragging the turtle, it was fighting frantically. The turtle probably was thinking, “is this Nigeria; am I headed to the pot of pepper soup?” Sometimes, like this turtle, we do not know whether God is delivering us or destroying us. When God puts us down, we feel like the turtle, but God does that so that He can feed you and feed you green grass. God, our good shepherd, loves us but sometimes constrains us. For instance, God can arrange things in such a way that an arrogant man is fed by his wife, just to teach him a few things. God’s constraints sometimes cause us to wonder how we got into such situations in the first place. Yet this is God’s purpose. God puts you in a place where there is room for only one God and that God is not you. His Name is Jesus. If you are a legitimate child of God, whatever you do to get out of that tight corner will not work.

When you understand that He makes you lie down in green pastures, He is putting you down in abundance, you begin to appreciate that God is a good shepherd. I understand that the situation is extremely uncomfortable and fighting comes naturally. However, the best sheep put themselves down voluntarily at the signal of the shepherd. Whichever way, He will make you lie down in green pastures [say Amen]. Ex.33:¹⁵ “Then Moses said, “If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place.” In other words, if God does not empower me I will not get empowered. If God does not bless me, I am not interested in any other blessing. Can you say the same to God or are you more interested in the blessing than the source of the blessing? Are you more focused in the promotion than the source of the promotion? Then God will have to put you down.

Prayer: Father, if You do not personally go with me, then do not let me leave Your presence, in Jesus Name. Amen!