Psalm 23 is a wonderful example of how God leads His children along in life. It says in His Word that He “leads me beside the still waters.” It is important to notice here that God is shown in this passage as a wonderful Shepherd. A shepherd understands the sheep that are in his care, and he will go out of his way to insure the safety and health of the flock. His desire is to lead the sheep into places of peace and rest. As long as the shepherd is there, everything is OK.
The word lead in the original language actually means “to run with a sparkle, flow, protect, sustain, carry, feed, guide, lead (gently, on).” That is a powerful expression He is using for us here! God is saying that He is running with a sparkle, probably because He loves us so much as our Daddy and is excited beyond human comprehension at our existence and potential. He is protecting us, sustaining us, carrying us, feeding us, guiding us, and gently showing us a place of rest. Psalm 23:2a could read, “He causes us to lie down in green pastures.” That is what God will do for His sheep, His children! It is God’s desire for you! If only we would release ourselves to let God do just that.
In Hebrews 4, God proclaims His call for His people to be led into that place that He refers to as “rest.” It is a place that every believer needs to strive to enter. Interestingly enough, there is pretty much nothing that God wants us striving in or becoming driven about, yet He makes an exception here in Hebrews. The instructions are clear. The only area where it is acceptable in the Kingdom to be driven is when we daily strive to enter into His rest. Basically in the spirit, we are told to wake up, run and hustle to go rest! What a concept! This is the arena where God’s Kingdom is unleashed. It’s not a position void of activity. It doesn’t mean sitting on the couch all day waiting for things to happen. It’s an active position of release and surrender, allowing God to guide and direct us, while He takes care of the results. This is your daily assignment to enter into His rest.
It seems like a contradiction in teaching, but it is not man’s doctrine, it is Kingdom teaching. We enter that place of rest through our belief and trust that He is our Good Shepherd who will take special care of those who put themselves under His care.