Laying Down in Green Pastures
Stories
Robert pushed the rest of the lunch over to one side of the hospital tray. He hated lying in bed and waiting. He had lots he could be doing. There were reports to review, figures to double check and let’s face it before long the accounts would have to be reconciled for the quarter. His head snapped up at a soft tap on the door.
“Hi Robert, how are you doing today?” Pastor Hans came through the door.
“Feeling great, Pastor. I’m just waiting for the doctor to come and tell me I can go home.”
“Really?” Pastor Hans pulled up a chair. “You gave Marilyn and all of us quite the scare.”
“It was just a minor heart attack.” Robert waved his hand. “I should be fine to get back to work and to get back to balancing the church books soon.”
“Don’t worry about that, Robert. You trained John well and he’s making do. He said the reports have all been completed, he went over everything three times with Andrea, and the quarterlies will be done in plenty of time for the board meeting.”
Robert nodded. “He’s a good kid.”
Pastor Hans smiled. “You realize that John is well over thirty and has kids of his own now.”
“I know but I still see that little boy who came with his grandmother and had trouble sitting still in church.” Robert ran his hands through his salt and pepper hair. “I guess he’ll always be a little kid to me even when he’s as old as we are.”
“I hear you. Its both wonderful and hard to keep up with how fast the children grow up around us.” Pastor Hans laughed. “Thankfully you and I aren’t getting any older.”
Robert joined in the laugher but stopped as he saw someone pass by the door. “Is that the doctor making rounds?”
Pastor Hans turned around. “No, just an orderly.”
“Ah.” Robert tapped his fingers on the tray. “I just can’t wait to get out of here.”
“Why?”
Robert stopped tapping. “What do you mean, Pastor?”
“Why are you so eager to get out of here? You just had a heart attack.”
“Just a minor one and they caught it early.”
Pastor Hans nodded. “True but you realize the doctor is going to want you to have some rest and take it easy for a while.”
“Ugh.” Robert grimaced. “I just hate the thought of not being busy and having things to do.”
“I remember you telling me on more than one occasion you wished you had more time to read the Bible and to pray.” Pastor Hans tilted his head to one side. “I also remember you saying you were interested in learning about Christian meditation.”
“Yes, maybe when things get a bit quieter at work and at the church but...” Robert shrugged.
Pastor Hans rubbed his chin. “Do you remember the line from the 23rd Psalm that goes He maketh me lie down in green pastures?”
“Sure.” Robert frowned. “You aren’t saying that God gave me this heart attack are you?”
Pastor Hans shook his head. “No, what I’m suggesting is that maybe God has to at time make us stop and enjoy the life God gives to us. Perhaps the Good Shepherd sometimes has to get our attention to make us lie down and know the goodness that surrounds us.”
“Why?”
“You’ve told me on more than one occasion that you sometimes feel life is passing you by and that you feel drained.”
Robert frowned. “So, you think maybe rest is what I need?”
Pastor Hans considered him for a moment. “What’s the next line of the psalm?”
“He restoreth my soul.”
“Exactly. Yes, I think you need some rest to physically heal but also I think you need to let God take your spirit and renew it.” Pastor Hans touched his chest. “I had a heart attack a couple of years back and I know that mind and soul also need some care afterwards.”
“You said John has everything under control at the church?”
Pastor Hans nodded. “Marilyn also let me know that your work is being covered at the office as well.”
“Yeah, I trained all the junior people there too and heaven knows I’ve got the sick time built up.” Robert laid back in the bed. “You know I have been meaning to read my Bible more and there is no time like the present.”
Pastor Hans smiled. “No, my friend, there is no better time than the moment God gives us right now.”
*****************************************
StoryShare, May 3, 2020 issue.
Copyright 2020 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
“Hi Robert, how are you doing today?” Pastor Hans came through the door.
“Feeling great, Pastor. I’m just waiting for the doctor to come and tell me I can go home.”
“Really?” Pastor Hans pulled up a chair. “You gave Marilyn and all of us quite the scare.”
“It was just a minor heart attack.” Robert waved his hand. “I should be fine to get back to work and to get back to balancing the church books soon.”
“Don’t worry about that, Robert. You trained John well and he’s making do. He said the reports have all been completed, he went over everything three times with Andrea, and the quarterlies will be done in plenty of time for the board meeting.”
Robert nodded. “He’s a good kid.”
Pastor Hans smiled. “You realize that John is well over thirty and has kids of his own now.”
“I know but I still see that little boy who came with his grandmother and had trouble sitting still in church.” Robert ran his hands through his salt and pepper hair. “I guess he’ll always be a little kid to me even when he’s as old as we are.”
“I hear you. Its both wonderful and hard to keep up with how fast the children grow up around us.” Pastor Hans laughed. “Thankfully you and I aren’t getting any older.”
Robert joined in the laugher but stopped as he saw someone pass by the door. “Is that the doctor making rounds?”
Pastor Hans turned around. “No, just an orderly.”
“Ah.” Robert tapped his fingers on the tray. “I just can’t wait to get out of here.”
“Why?”
Robert stopped tapping. “What do you mean, Pastor?”
“Why are you so eager to get out of here? You just had a heart attack.”
“Just a minor one and they caught it early.”
Pastor Hans nodded. “True but you realize the doctor is going to want you to have some rest and take it easy for a while.”
“Ugh.” Robert grimaced. “I just hate the thought of not being busy and having things to do.”
“I remember you telling me on more than one occasion you wished you had more time to read the Bible and to pray.” Pastor Hans tilted his head to one side. “I also remember you saying you were interested in learning about Christian meditation.”
“Yes, maybe when things get a bit quieter at work and at the church but...” Robert shrugged.
Pastor Hans rubbed his chin. “Do you remember the line from the 23rd Psalm that goes He maketh me lie down in green pastures?”
“Sure.” Robert frowned. “You aren’t saying that God gave me this heart attack are you?”
Pastor Hans shook his head. “No, what I’m suggesting is that maybe God has to at time make us stop and enjoy the life God gives to us. Perhaps the Good Shepherd sometimes has to get our attention to make us lie down and know the goodness that surrounds us.”
“Why?”
“You’ve told me on more than one occasion that you sometimes feel life is passing you by and that you feel drained.”
Robert frowned. “So, you think maybe rest is what I need?”
Pastor Hans considered him for a moment. “What’s the next line of the psalm?”
“He restoreth my soul.”
“Exactly. Yes, I think you need some rest to physically heal but also I think you need to let God take your spirit and renew it.” Pastor Hans touched his chest. “I had a heart attack a couple of years back and I know that mind and soul also need some care afterwards.”
“You said John has everything under control at the church?”
Pastor Hans nodded. “Marilyn also let me know that your work is being covered at the office as well.”
“Yeah, I trained all the junior people there too and heaven knows I’ve got the sick time built up.” Robert laid back in the bed. “You know I have been meaning to read my Bible more and there is no time like the present.”
Pastor Hans smiled. “No, my friend, there is no better time than the moment God gives us right now.”
*****************************************
StoryShare, May 3, 2020 issue.
Copyright 2020 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
