November 18, 2020

Psalm 100:3-4 (NKJV)

“Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture.  Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.”

When I was younger my pride rejected being compared to a sheep.  Sheep are the dumbest animal God ever created.  They’re stubborn.  They can have a bad attitude.  They let their imaginations take over and run wild in fear.   They stray from where they are supposed to be all the time and they never want to go where you try to take them.  They require constant supervision and someone who is totally devoted to them to watch over them day and night to raise them, which is why my grandfather quit raising them.  As a young Christian (about 40) on fire for the Lord, it hurt my feelings that He would make such a comparison.

As I have walked with the Lord, I have come to realize that, spiritually, I am a lot like sheep.  On any given day, I can have the sheep beat hands down when it comes to being dumb!  I can be stubborn.  I can have a bad attitude.  If I am not careful, I will give in to my imagination and either run or freeze: afraid of the unknown.  I stray from where I am supposed to be and sometimes I don’t want to go where I am supposed to go.  And I need someone who is totally devoted to me to watch over me day and night for my well-being.  Please take no offense in the following assumption that you and I are a lot alike in these regards.

That is why I am so thankful that I can proclaim, “The Lord is my shepherd.  I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1).  Jesus!  He is the One totally devoted to watching over us and keeping us from harm.  He is our Shepherd!  He saved us from sin by becoming sin for us; He received the full penalty of God’s judgment upon Himself that we might be forgiven and righteous.  And now?  He directs our path and when we stray, He reaches out to correct our direction and keep us close to Him.  When we are afraid, He calms our fears and brings peace to our lives.  He is always watching, and guarding, and providing, and loving. . .us. 

Today and every day may the Lord receive thanksgiving from our grateful hearts!