BEYOND THE LEAD

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down
 in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, restores my soul. He
 guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.” Psalm 23:1-3

Our dog is always ready to take a walk. She will plead her case in a variety of ways until we get the “message” loud and clear. Out on the trail she is constantly pulling us along trying desperately to go “beyond the lead”. Regardless of our path she always sees or smells something more interesting two or three feet beyond her reach that grabs her attention.  Isn’t that often true in our lives as well? We get bored or fed up with the direction of our life and we pull against our circumstances. Now, I am not against change, especially if it’s in the right direction. But I’m talking about the times in life when we want to go “beyond the lead” of God. When we believe that we know best without spending time in prayer seeking God’s will because our minds are made up. Does that sound familiar or am I the only one who occasionally pushes the limits of God? Take a moment and consider God’s “LEAD” in your life.
 
Linked - “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.” Psalm 23:1. There is a “link” between Jesus and our effectiveness in life. When we recognize this connection we are able to do far more than we can imagine. However, there are times when we pull so hard on the lead that God allows us to explore life without His guiding hand. We end up forging paths into territory that we are not called, equipped or prepared to handle. God patiently waits for us as we wander “beyond the lead” until we finally seek Him out because of the lonely desperation that invades our soul when “our” quest leaves us empty. When we are linked with God as our shepherd, He provides for our needs. He also gives us the power to say “yes” to the best, “no” to the good and “never” to what’s bad for our life.
 
Environment - “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.” Psalm 23:2-3. Our environment is not a matter of chance. God is at work in our lives today, tomorrow and forever. As our “shepherd” He is our “provider” giving us everything we need to grow, mature and achieve our dreams, if we follow His lead. When we wander off after our own “pastures” all bets are off; because God has given us freewill to make our own decisions. If we chose to live “beyond the lead” He allows us to experience both the “right” to make those choices and the “responsibility” to experience the consequences. Our environment, good or bad, is a result of the interaction of our faith or lack of faith in God as our shepherd. Please understand that I am not equating our “bad” environments to a lack of faith. I am simply stating that a “bad” environment is worse when we have chosen a path in opposition to God’s will in our life. God can give us peace in whatever environment we find ourselves in if we are walking with Him using our GPS (God’s Positioning System). Again, it’s all a matter of choice.
 
Adversity - “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” Psalm 23:4. For those of us who have “walked through the valley” of tough times even when following His lead, we can attest to God’s faithfulness. He “provides” what we “need” even when things turn terribly wrong. We may not have all that we “want”, but God will meet our needs. It’s interesting to note that this verse talks about a “rod” and “staff”. A “rod” is used for discipline. A shepherd uses it to “remind” a lamb to turn around and head back to the flock. The “staff” is used to help a lamb out of a dangerous situation. The shepherd can reach out and assist the lamb by using the “hook” on the staff. Whatever we face in life we can count on God to get us through it. Will it always be fun or comfortable? No. Will we always see the outcome we want? No. But we will always be able to feel the “comfort” of God through our “valleys”.          
 
Dwell - “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6. “Dwell” is not a word we use very often in ever day conversations, but we do “dwell” in one of two places. We are either dwelling “in or out” of the “house of the Lord”. When we “dwell in” with God we can have the “goodness and love” of God in our life. When we choose to “dwell out” with the world we can have everything that’s “bad and unlovely” in our life. Unfortunately, “bad and unlovely” often come disguised as “goodness and love”. The proof is in the “restoration” of your soul. “Dwelling in” restores your soul, while “dwelling out” requires the “selling” of your soul. The temporary thrill or pleasure associated with “dwelling out” cannot compare with real “goodness and love” of “dwelling in” with God.
 
How is your walk today with God? Are you trying to go “beyond the lead” of God or are you experiencing the comfort of the Shepherd? Check your “pulse” and ponder your path. A little reflection can literally change the course of your life.