It is the culture of a shepherd to make the sheep lie down after a while of grazing. This is because a sheep is ruminant. Ruminants are animals with four stomach compartments. After grazing, the pasture ingested by the sheep is quickly swallowed and stored in the rumen (largest chamber of the stomach). The food stored in the rumen is not in a form in which the body of the sheep can absorb. Even though the sheep is feed, the sheep does not receive the nutrient from the food it has just eaten because the food has not yet been processed. The shepherd who understands the digestive system of the sheep makes the sheep lie down. When the sheep is made to lie down, it chews the cud. Chewing the cud is the process of regurgitating, re-chewing, and swallowing pasture. After chewing the cud, the food is now broken down into tiny particles and the process of digestion can begin.
I believe one the of reason God refers to us as sheep is because we eat spiritually in the same way a sheep eats physically. We receive God’s word (pasture) via various mediums; in church, online, social media, reading the word. When we receive the word, the word is not yet processed. Even though received it does not profit us much. Like the sheep, we must lie down and chew the cud. Chewing the cud for us refers to meditation. In the place of meditation, we bring to remembrance the teaching, the sermons, the word of God that we have received. It is in the place of meditation that the word begins to gain entrance into our hearts. It is in meditation that convictions are formed. It is in meditation that the word is mixed with faith. It is in meditation that we begin to see the practical application of God’s word in our lives. Psalm 119:30 the entrance of your word gives light. It not hearing or knowing the word that gives light, the bible says the ENTRANCE, the word gains entrance into our lives in the place of mediation. Without meditation, you will know God’s word, you will have the word but it will profit you very little.
The sheep is made to lie down before the process of chewing the cord can begin. We must lie down, we must learn to stop all activities and be still before mediation can begin. We live in a world that seems to be moving so quickly and learning to be still can be perceived as time wasted. For most of us, there’s the tendency to keep moving and doing stuff even though we are not as productive. We tend to live off activities and business. God in His mercy nudges us to lie down, He does that through various means some of which can be circumstances, promptings, sending a specific word. It is important for us to be sensitive and respond to seasons when God wants us to focus more on ling down and meditating.
It is the nutrients absorbed into the body that produces strength. If the sheep never lies down to chew the cud, the sheep would never have the energy needed to move and follow the shepherd. The same is true for us, we can hear the word, go to church and read our bibles, but if we never stop to mediate we would not have the strength needed to move forward. We would not have the strength needed to produce the results we desire.
How far you go in life is dependent on how well you lie down.
cultivate the word
Take some time today, lie down & mediate.
