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Shout triumphantly to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with celebration! Come before him with shouts of joy! Know that the Lord is God- he made us; we belong to him. We are his people, the sheep of his own pasture.
-Psalm 100:1-3
The writer of this Psalm was mostly likely a young shepherd, David. He was probably sitting on the rocky terrain outside the desert and looking over the land. Over this land there were animals scattered that would have provided food and a living for his family. The sheep required great care and protection. A typical day for a shepherd included counting, watching, listening, and even defending. Taking care of sheep requires constant, focused attention. Sheep are incredibly valuable and worth every effort. Consider what the shepherd may have been thinking about when he wrote this Psalm. It is a prayer of thanksgiving. David was realizing how God, our shepherd, must feel about each one of us, his sheep.
This afternoon, from 3:30-8:30 p.m. you have an opportunity to spend some time in prayer and reflection using a labyrinth in the Great Hall. I would invite you to experience the labyrinth as a time of renewal, prayer, and a way to lift up the sheep we care for through our mission partners locally and internationally.
As you go through your day, consider how much God loves you and seeks to take care of you. In return, how can we care for others?
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