Psalm 100:3
Thoughts from Dayna Spaulding
Dive Deeper
“Know the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.”
Psalm 100:3
Behind the Scenes
Reading through the Psalms is a good way to learn how to pray. Some psalms are prayers of praise, others are prayers of lament, and some, like this one, are prayers of thanksgiving. Prayers of thanksgiving are crucial to our spiritual life. God uses prayer to shape us, so as we pray and express our gratitude, God forms our hearts to be even more grateful.
When times are good, it is important to remember that all we have is from God. Expressing our thanks keeps us focused on God and prevents us from getting distracted by worldly things. When times are bad, prayers of thanksgiving are harder to say, but they are even more important. Focusing on the good things we have from God helps sustain us as we endure suffering. They give us hope that God will get us through hard times and give us hope that one day God will restore and heal the world so there will be no more suffering.
The verse today reminds us that the being we call LORD, is God of the universe. He created everything from stars to snails. He is infinitely powerful and controls all things. God made us. It is important to remember that God specifically made you. God crafted every human in the womb, and He had you planned before He spoke the first star into existence. He not only made us, but we are HIS people! Think on this. The almighty God who spoke the entire universe into creation, who formed the earth and all the creatures on it, who reigns over all from His throne in heaven, considers you and me as His family. This psalm refers to us as sheep of his pasture. God is like a shepherd who watches over us and cares for us.
If we are honest, we may not like being called sheep. It is often used as a derogatory term. But God knows us, and He knows that we are like sheep. Without His care, we will go astray. We as a people need to humble ourselves and place ourselves into His pasture. That is the only way we will truly lead a free and abundant life. What does this look like?
Make it Real
Human beings were made as God’s image bearers on the earth. Jesus Christ, God Incarnate, is the ultimate image of God. He is God. Jesus refers to himself as a shepherd in John 10:11. Like a shepherd, Jesus protects us and guides us.
Pray to God. Read the gospels. Study Jesus and his ways. Learn his commandments. You will learn to image God by learning to image Jesus. If you follow him, He will lead you through tough times, your own failures, and your disappointments. But it is bigger than you. If you follow Jesus, He will lead you into a life of sacrifice, giving and serving. Like a dull sheep, you may balk at such a life, but Jesus knows that if you trust Him, you will ultimately find a peace and abundance that you never could have achieved on your own.
But first of all, best of all, Jesus will lead you to God the Father. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection to a new life restores you to a close relationship with God. Like a lost sheep, we were separated from home, separated from God. We would never have found God if He had not been a good shepherd and rescued us. By saying yes to Jesus, we believe in what He has done and take our place in His pasture—our place as his people. Like Jesus, we too will have a new life and will dwell forever in God’s pasture.
Johnny Spence
ACF Devo Team
End in Prayer
Jesus, thank you for rescuing me. Thank you for guiding me and protecting me. Thank you for leading me home. When I feel lost, frustrated, afraid, lonely, let my mind dwell on you as my good shepherd. Let my heart trust you and find my peace in you. Use me to find other lost sheep, Lord. Thank you for all that you have given me, amen.