When thinking of my fears, I think of water. So, when pondering the verses about God's Presence with us, I find myself thanking Him for hiding me in a protective valley and for setting me on a mountain where I can be filled with the daily breeze of His restorative breath.

Living water is restorative and life-giving, too. (John 4; John 7; etc) So, were the beginning waters not good because they were not flowing (living?) and teeming with life? He made mountains so they would flow. He raised the land so they would be bound. He created creatures to live their lives in them. We are land dwellers, but we need water to live. He has stopped the waters so that we may walk between them on dry land, for we are made to live on the land and use the waters.

I think of Psalm 23:2b-3 -- "He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake."

I'd always thought of the still waters there as a comfort for other people. I could get into the previous verse (2a) -- "He makes me lie down in green pastures."

I knew the next part was relaxing for some, but I figured they could go on to the still waters while I stayed there in the grass. :smile:

But, maybe one can see it differently. These aren't flowing waters; they are still. Does that mean they are not "living," as the dark waters were in the beginning...void and lifeless? So, when we walk beside such lifeless waters, we can rest in the fact that He is leading us. We can Sabbath rest in the pasture and move alongside still waters the rest of the time. Either way, He is with us. HE is our comfort in both spots. <3

I also think of Jesus calming the storm when He was in the boat with His disciples. He stilled the waters in the process, probably. If those are the still waters of Psalm 23, cool! I guess looking at waters is relaxing enough. Mountains and pastures are more "my thing," though. :wink: