Green Grass
GREEN GRASS
The Bible is a spiritually discerned Book; that is to say that the interpretation and the revealing of its mysteries are given by the Holy Spirit of God Himself. This is because the Bible was written by God Himself using His Holy Spirit to transfer the Word to His scribes, the prophets and disciples of old.
I say this as a preface to an example of what happened to me recently while reading a familiar story in the gospel of Mark. (Mark 6, 32 -44).
In the story we read twice of how Jesus and the people who were with Him were in a desert place. However, when they came to be sat down we read that they sat on green grass. Those two words “green grass” leapt out at me as I read. How curious, the Bible is so often lacking in detail yet here we are told that the grass is green! So, I deduced, it must be important. Almost straightaway, I remembered the psalm of the Good Shepherd and how it describes how He makes us to lie down in green pastures. I noticed as I compared the two scriptures, more similitudes; Jesus told His disciples to make the people to sit down. He, as the Good Shepherd makes us to lie down. This implies resting. He makes us rest. Make is an interesting verb in this context; we are not persuaded or asked or invited; we are made. God made us, He made us in His own image and as His sheep He makes us to lie down; Jesus promises that if we follow Him He will make us fishers of men. So God has the active part in our life and we have the resting part. “Come unto Me” Jesus says “all ye that are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”
Most people reading this chapter would say how could a desert place have green grass? We are told twice that the place was a desert. So there is no doubt. What was the miracle that took place here in this desert place? Thousands of people had flocked to hear the words of Jesus; the words of eternal life; their hearts were as deserts ,dry and thirsty. Jesus said, He that is thirsty let Him come unto Me and drink; He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
In this desert place the people sat on green grass and ate natural food which filled them with more to spare. Jesus turned the grass green and filled the stomachs of the people so that they should know that He is Lord of all; our Good Shepherd, leading us, making us to lie down and feeding us. We may only have a morsel but, if we surrender it to the Lord He will magnify and miraculously multiply it until it completely satisfies the need. If we find ourselves in a desert place let us come into the Presence of the Lord and sit at His feet to hear His Word – we will soon find ourselves in Green Pasture.
The Bible is a spiritually discerned Book; that is to say that the interpretation and the revealing of its mysteries are given by the Holy Spirit of God Himself. This is because the Bible was written by God Himself using His Holy Spirit to transfer the Word to His scribes, the prophets and disciples of old.
I say this as a preface to an example of what happened to me recently while reading a familiar story in the gospel of Mark. (Mark 6, 32 -44).
In the story we read twice of how Jesus and the people who were with Him were in a desert place. However, when they came to be sat down we read that they sat on green grass. Those two words “green grass” leapt out at me as I read. How curious, the Bible is so often lacking in detail yet here we are told that the grass is green! So, I deduced, it must be important. Almost straightaway, I remembered the psalm of the Good Shepherd and how it describes how He makes us to lie down in green pastures. I noticed as I compared the two scriptures, more similitudes; Jesus told His disciples to make the people to sit down. He, as the Good Shepherd makes us to lie down. This implies resting. He makes us rest. Make is an interesting verb in this context; we are not persuaded or asked or invited; we are made. God made us, He made us in His own image and as His sheep He makes us to lie down; Jesus promises that if we follow Him He will make us fishers of men. So God has the active part in our life and we have the resting part. “Come unto Me” Jesus says “all ye that are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”
Most people reading this chapter would say how could a desert place have green grass? We are told twice that the place was a desert. So there is no doubt. What was the miracle that took place here in this desert place? Thousands of people had flocked to hear the words of Jesus; the words of eternal life; their hearts were as deserts ,dry and thirsty. Jesus said, He that is thirsty let Him come unto Me and drink; He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
In this desert place the people sat on green grass and ate natural food which filled them with more to spare. Jesus turned the grass green and filled the stomachs of the people so that they should know that He is Lord of all; our Good Shepherd, leading us, making us to lie down and feeding us. We may only have a morsel but, if we surrender it to the Lord He will magnify and miraculously multiply it until it completely satisfies the need. If we find ourselves in a desert place let us come into the Presence of the Lord and sit at His feet to hear His Word – we will soon find ourselves in Green Pasture.
posted by Caroline | 3:29 PM
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