We are the Sheep of His Hand
The Bible has many ways of explaining our relationship with God, but none is more meaningful than the reality of God being the Shepherd and us being His sheep.(Psalm 95:6-8) Most of us are familiar with this analogy, but it is good for us to remind ourselves of it often.
Sheep are not smart. They can't protect themselves or provide food and shelter for themselves. They are totally dependent on the shepherd for all of these things. We may have a more exalted view of ourselves than that, but if we do, we are kidding ourselves.
In reality, we should worship God, because He is our Maker. He is Lord of all. He made everything, so He knows everything about His creation. We are His creation. He is our God, since He is the Only True God. We are the people of His pasture, the world where He placed us. We are the sheep of His hand, because He made us. The psalmist makes all of this very plain.
Then, we are challenged to remember our Shepherd's warning, "Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, as in the day of trial in the wilderness." Why would defenseless sheep, who can't take care of themselves harden their hearts against the One who loves them and protects them? It comes from pride. It comes from forgetting who He is and who we are. Their hardness of heart led to 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. Ours will do the same thing. We will wander in the wilderness of this world without God's full blessing.
However, if we remember, we are the sheep of His hand, we can live the abundant life by obeying everything He says to us. Isn't that so much better than the wilderness? Yes, it is.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Psalms 98-100.
Sheep are not smart. They can't protect themselves or provide food and shelter for themselves. They are totally dependent on the shepherd for all of these things. We may have a more exalted view of ourselves than that, but if we do, we are kidding ourselves.
In reality, we should worship God, because He is our Maker. He is Lord of all. He made everything, so He knows everything about His creation. We are His creation. He is our God, since He is the Only True God. We are the people of His pasture, the world where He placed us. We are the sheep of His hand, because He made us. The psalmist makes all of this very plain.
Then, we are challenged to remember our Shepherd's warning, "Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion, as in the day of trial in the wilderness." Why would defenseless sheep, who can't take care of themselves harden their hearts against the One who loves them and protects them? It comes from pride. It comes from forgetting who He is and who we are. Their hardness of heart led to 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. Ours will do the same thing. We will wander in the wilderness of this world without God's full blessing.
However, if we remember, we are the sheep of His hand, we can live the abundant life by obeying everything He says to us. Isn't that so much better than the wilderness? Yes, it is.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Psalms 98-100.