Psalms 100 Series - Part 3

​“Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”
                                    Psalms 100:3 (KJV)
 




Hi friends,

    How are you?  I hope you are enjoying the Psalms 100 Series by DUO Inspirations and are finding more joy in your life.  Today’s verse seems more of a comfort than a joy.  However, it could be a joy as well.  I mean, knowing that “we are his people” and that I am part of the “we” makes me very joyful. 
 
    Psalms 100:3 kind of reminds me of when people need to know their roots.  I have heard stories where adopted children feel uneasy, because they don’t know their ancestry.  They don’t know anything about their biological parents and they just kind of have a hole in their history that makes them feel confused, sad, or lonely. However, in Psalms 100:3, we are told our place in life and our roots.  There is no uneasiness, confusion, sadness, or loneliness.  

    We are God’s people.  He made us.  He loves us.  And, we are the “sheep of his pasture.”  Okay, not all people may like the idea of being referred to as sheep.  However, if you knew how closely the shepherds back in the day watched over and cared for their sheep, you might not mind it so much. I believe it is very much like a term of endearment here.

    I was never a shepherd and don’t really know, but I am going to do a little imagining.  I imagine that a shepherd led his or her sheep out to a part of the land that is filled with green grass for them to eat.  It was far away from the house, so the shepherd had no one with whom to speak, so the shepherd probably often talked to the sheep. I imagine that the shepherd even named all the sheep, and got to know the sheep as individuals with their own little quirks.  And, every so often when the shepherd counted the sheep to make sure they were all there, he or she would leave the flock to go find the one or two who had wandered off.
 
    This was probably not only done out of necessity of needing all the sheep for making a living, but also out of love.  After all, I can imagine that if you spend most of your waking hours tending sheep, you tend to have a pretty close bond with those sheep.  They are almost like friends and family.

    So, being called sheep isn’t so bad. And, being called God’s sheep is actually quite wonderful.  God made us, knows all our little quirks, leads us, cares for us, searches for us when we are lost, and loves us.  It is a wonderful feeling!

    There is a part of this verse that I don’t want to overlook and that is “not we ourselves.”  It seems like that we are being reassured that we are made well and correctly.  We are not “cheap reproductions”, but the real thing.  We are made in God’s perfect way and not in any half-hearted, knock-off way. We are special to God.

    I know that in the beginning of this post, I said that this verse seems to be more of a comfort verse than a joy verse. However, as I wrote, I have felt myself feeling more and more joyful.  So, I can actually say that I believe this is a joy and a comfort verse. 
 
Heavenly Father,
    Thank you for being our Creator and Shepherd.  Thank you for telling us and reassuring us that we are your people and we are well loved. Help us to know the joy and comfort of the words in Psalms 100:3 in our every day lives.  Help us to act and feel like your people.  Help us to let you care for us and lead us as a shepherd cares for and leads his sheep.  I ask you this through your Son, Jesus.  Amen.
 
  *     *     *     *    *     *     *    *     *     *    *     *     *    *     *     *     *
 
Reflective questions for Psalms 100:3 (KJV):
*What does Psalms 100:3 mean to me?
*How does Psalms 100:3 make me feel?
*Do I feel like God’s own?
*Do I let God lead me in the same way that shepherds lead sheep?
*Do I feel like God knows me?
*Do I feel like I know God?
 
 Now, it is your turn.
     If you haven't read the Psalms 100 Series - Part 1 or the Psalms 100 Series - Part 2, you may want to do that.  I hope you are enjoying the series as much as I am.  I am so thankful that you are here.  You are important to me.  I look forward to reading your thoughts, so please comment below.  What are your thoughts?  If you have any prayer requests or suggestions, please contact me.
     If you find value in what I write, please share it with friends and family.  Also, if you haven't already, please consider signing up to get the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations and other faith content in your inbox.
                                      

---