Day 3
Pray for:
One thing that you need to be grateful for but find it difficult to be
One person that you need to apologize to, resolve a conflict with, or forgive
One dream that you need to surrender to God
Dear Lord - Please open my ears to hear Your voice today and grant me the strength to obey.
Psalms 95
"Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care.
Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me, though they had seen what I did." ( vs. 6 - 9 )
We are the flock under God's care. Sheep need a shepherd. They are not the smartest animals in the world and they need to be led and cared for in an intensive manner if they are going to live and thrive. Although it is not that flattering to be compared to sheep, it is fitting. We do need a lot of help. We do easily go astray and get lost. It is good to know that we have a good shepherd that we can follow. He cares for us in so many ways. I love to read the 23 psalm which most people know and which once again refers to God as our shepherd. It is as follows:
"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
He restores my soul.
He guides 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 love will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
I love the beautiful portrayal of God's care for us expressed here. I love the idea that I do not have to be in want and that as I go through my life here, I do not have to fear evil; not because it does not exist, but because God is with me.
I do have a responsibility in this scenario, however. I have to listen to God's voice. If I am a sheep and my shepherd is calling me, I need to go to my shepherd. I need to let him take care of me. If I continue to run away, I will only get myself into further trouble. If I am sick and need medication, I will only become more sick. I must heed to my master's voice. So I need to see that God is my shepherd, and then I need to follow and obey. I can't harden my heart. I must soften it. I need to remember all that God has already done for me and trust that if anyone can help me, then it will be Him. I must stop testing God and asking that He prove something to me. God does not have to prove anything to me. He already has. I just need to accept what I am and where I am and be a sheep basking in the love of a good shepherd.
Prayer for the Day
Dear Lord,
You are the Good Shepherd. You know how to take care of us. Help us to run to You, not away from You. Help us to do as You say and reap the benefits. Help us to remember how far You have brought us so far. You will not leave us wandering in the desert. You will bring us to a good land if we follow. Help us to follow, now and always.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
QFT
1. Am I worshipping God on a regular basis? Do I feel He deserves my worship? Do I know how to worship? How can I learn to do this or to do this better?
2. What do I know about sheep? What can I learn about sheep? How am I like a sheep? How is God like a shepherd? What can I learn about God's nature by looking at this comparison?
3. Do I listen to God's voice or do I ignore it? Do I think the Bible or Scriptures are God's actual word, as though He were right here speaking to me? Why or why not? If I did see the Scriptures in this manner, how might that affect my reaction? How can I learn to listen to God's voice better?
4. Do I heed God's voice? Do I do what I think God is calling me to do or do I reason the feeling away? Have I hardened my heart to God's calling and voice? How? How can I change?
5. Do I ever test or try God? How do I do this? Why do I do this? Is this a trust issue? What can I do to stop testing God and to start trusting Him more?
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