July 8th
Connected
Ps 100:3
Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
There are times in life when we can feel disconnected from someone we “know”. We all want to be connected. We want to have loving relationships that are open and honest. Knowing about someone makes them relatable. It makes them real. It gives us a deeper sense of intimacy with them. When we truly “know” someone it develops a greater affection for them. A mere acquaintance with someone leaves us distance and disconnected from them. But when we can define the relationship and determine our respective roles within the relationship, then we will grow close and become intimately connected to each other. This is the kind of relationship we should have with God. Without knowing Him in this way we will remain distance and disconnected.
The Psalmists outlines various definitive aspects of how knowing God will enhance our relationship with Him. These truths can be divided into two sections. First God’s solidarity. We are told first to, Know that the LORD is God. It is here that we are assured that the Lord alone is God. He is not one of many Gods. He is the only one. All other deities that would be presented as divine beings are in reality fictitious. They are non-entities. They emphatically do not exist. In this the Psalmists guides us to comprehend the celestial knowledge that we need to affirm that the Lord that we follow and worship is indeed the only true and living God and we can trust Him.
Second that Psalmist directs us to consider the substance of our relationship with God. Here the text gives a broad stoke encompassing all people. He says, Know . . . . It is he who made us, and we are his. Obviously, what he is writing relates to those who believe in the Lord, but it also relates universally to all mankind. God made “us” is speaking not just of those who follow Him, but also of those who “forsake” Him. Everyone is created by God. He made all of us. We all relate to Him as our created whether we acknowledge it or not. We are not self-made or the product of a constantly evolving random developmental process. The writer says we need to know that God made us individually and distinctly and that we did not evolve from some primordial ooze.
This is important in that as His creatures we must know that we are his. Jesus is the Lord of all (Phil 2:10), He has the power as a creative potter to fashion our respective “clay” into a wonderful masterpiece. As our creator and master, He has the right to form us as He pleases for His glory and our good. (Jer 18:5-6). For some this concept that God has any right to rule over their life as their creator is hideous. That is why they reject Him as their maker. But for those who know Him as Lord, they rejoice that He has this role. They find great comfort in the knowledge that God created them and controls things in such a way that He has the capability to make “all things work together for good” for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28). We rejoice in the knowledge that God made us and we are his.
In the later part of the text we see two very specific concepts that we are to know regarding our relationship with our creator God. Believers are to know that, “we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.” Here we are to know and understand that as “His people” the Lord is with us. He is for us. He stands with us in thick and thin. He will not abandon or forsake us, because we are His people. He will walk with us even when we no longer want to walk with Him. We are His and as His we are loved and looked after.
In addition to this the Psalmist adds that we are “the sheep of his pasture”. We must know and realize that our relationship with our Lord is like that of a shepherd with His sheep. The shepherd knows the sheep and they know their shepherd. The shepherd cares for each one of His sheep. They are of great value to Him. They are loved by Him. He provides for them beautiful green lush pastures and protects them from vicious predators. When they wander off, He pursues them till He finds them and brings them home with great rejoicing (Luke 15:3-7). To know that we are His sheep, safe and secure in His care brings us great comfort and consolation in the midst of our greatest crisis.
In knowing these truths about God and our relationship to Him, the Psalmist says that our response will be to Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. When we find ourselves connected to the Lord through the knowledge of who He is and who we are in Him, we cannot contain the praise.
Today thank the Lord that He has made Himself known, not only to you but to all of us. Thank Him that He has made you and you are His. Ask him to daily help you know Him more. Thank Him that you are His sheep and that although at times you haven’t seen it, He has been protecting and providing for you. Thank him that He has come to your rescue when you have strayed. Ask Him to help you remember that as one of His sheep you are always safe and secure in His care. Thank Him that you are forever connected to Him.
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