Psalm 100:3 – Know that the Lord, He is God! It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.”
THEME OF THE DAY. HIS SHEEP UNDER HIS CARE. There is no greater place to find rest for our souls. There is no greater place to satisfy our hearts. There is no greater place to calm our anxieties. There is no greater place to relieve stress. There is no greater place to quiet our fears. There is no greater place to send away our worries. That place? Under the loving care of our Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.
In today’s scripture, there are four encouraging truths for the sheep belonging to Jesus that will always lift our downcast hearts.
First, the truth that our Shepherd is God – “Know that the Lord, He is God.” I know you know this, but do you live this? As God, our Shepherd Jesus controls everything to include that tough circumstance and trial you might be encountering. He has not left you alone in the situation. He is with you and using it for your good and His glory.
Next, the truth that our Shepherd is our Creator – “It is He who made us”. Let this comfort you. The Creator delights in His choice creation and that is us. He so loved us that He made us in His image, and though sin has damaged that image, our Creator is committed to restoring it through our Shepherd God, the Lord Jesus (Genesis 1:27; Ephesians 4:24).
A third truth of our Shepherd is that He chooses to own us – “We are His; we are His people.” Remember what sin did. It made us alienated, enemies, and rebels against God. We were separated from Him, but the grace of God in Christ comes and reconciles us. Meditate on the Apostle Peter’s words of this ownership of us by the Lord, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10). Who the Lord owns, He cares for. He never neglects His people. He never abandons His people. When He chose to own us, He committed to caring for us, now and for all eternity.
A final truth bringing satisfaction and contentment in the souls of Jesus’ sheep is His commitment to guide us into the fertile feeding pastures of Himself through His Word – “And the sheep of His pasture.” How does the Lord care for us? Through His Spirit-illumined and Spirit-applied Word. It is “sheep food” and of the most nourishing type. In the famous “Shepherd’s Psalm”, we read “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23). Make this Psalm personal. Read it aloud to your Shepherd-God, the Lord Jesus. Thank Him for every truth it reveals about His love and care for you. Let it be a time of worship, knowing and experiencing this Shepherd-God is yours.
Yes, there is no greater place to be than under the watchful eye and care of Shepherd Jesus. May He daily lead us to Himself to enjoy the satisfaction of being sheep of His possession in His pasture.
PRAYER: “Father, I praise You for giving me to Your Son and being owned by Him.”
QUOTE: “There is no greater place of rest and contentment than under the care of the Lord Jesus.”
Because of Him,
Pastor Jim