Restless Wandering

My heart was restless,

 I wanted something… but what? 

I felt a stirring to do something, go somewhere; maybe out to glide through my favorite thrift stores in search of that unknown item awaiting me, or perhaps bake up some delectable morsel to tantalize my taste buds.  What was it I longed for? 

As I was perusing the possibilities, my eyes drifted toward the open Bible laying beside me.  I was drawn  in, like a wandering lamb. I could not keep my eyes from searching…there was something here, calling me.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”
It was the 23 Psalm that I had been looking at earlier.  Was I discontent?  Was I wanting when I shouldn’t?  What did it mean?  I looked up the cross reference verses, hungry to know. 

I found myself first in Isaiah 40:11,

 “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd, he shall gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.”

  I was riveted to the last line.  Gently leading me, the one with young, leading me, where?

 

 

I paused, trying to bring order to my confused thoughts.  After a few minutes, I went on.
The next cross reference left me stunned.

“Not that I speak in respect of want for I have learned, that in whatever state I am, therewith to be content.” Phil. 4:11 

I had allowed myself to get scattered like the sheep in Ezekiel 34,

and the Good Shepherd was drawing me in. 
Slowly, I following the next verse in Psalm 23, knowing full well what it would say, but anticipating, I sensed I was on the verge of a fresh comprehension.

“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 names sake.”
 

 

Ooooh. This is where He is leading me… to quiet my soul, once again, to realize that the restlessness I was feeling inside was my soul needing to hear Truth and apply it.

The need to glimpse the marvelous, 

and be satisfied by Living water. 

It was really my soul thirsting, and I, in my carnality,

took it to be a hunger for something the world offers that would refresh me.
Silly me.

 Where do we go to restore our soul?  Is our first stop the Law of the Lord?

Psalm 19:7, 8...
“The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. the precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart, the commands of the lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes." It goes on...."More to be desired are they than gold, and sweeter than the honeycomb."

When our soul is restless, when we are discouraged, when we are in need of restoration,

do we run to the restoring, 

enlightening,

joy giving Word of God?

Or do we run to fill that emptiness with material things (gold) and food (honeycomb) when the very thing that will satisfy more than all the others is found

simply

in God's precious Words to us.

 

“For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living Fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”   Revelation 7:17
 

Still thirsty?  See Ezekiel 34:11-15