Welcome to Week 10 of A 2020 Prayer Life!
What follows is a series of daily meditations and exercises to help us develop our individual prayer lives. This represents a one-day-at-a-time process. Simply read and do each day what is offered for that day.
What follows is a series of daily meditations and exercises to help us develop our individual prayer lives. This represents a one-day-at-a-time process. Simply read and do each day what is offered for that day.
March 4
We have observed before that one of the beauties of the relational titles for God is that they come with counterpart titles for us. If He is our Creator, then we are His creatures. If He is our Father, then we are His children.
For the past week, we have been exploring God's identity as "Shepherd." And that title for Him comes with natural, resulting titles for us. If He is your Shepherd, then you are His sheep. And if He is our Shepherd, then we are His flock.
In your prayer time just now, make those titles how you identify yourself as you call God "Shepherd." And as you do, talk with Him about these questions:
(1) What do those counterpart titles reveal about me?
(2) What do those counterpart titles reveal about my relationship with You?
(3) How might those counterpart titles impact and influence my relationship with You?
For the past week, we have been exploring God's identity as "Shepherd." And that title for Him comes with natural, resulting titles for us. If He is your Shepherd, then you are His sheep. And if He is our Shepherd, then we are His flock.
In your prayer time just now, make those titles how you identify yourself as you call God "Shepherd." And as you do, talk with Him about these questions:
(1) What do those counterpart titles reveal about me?
(2) What do those counterpart titles reveal about my relationship with You?
(3) How might those counterpart titles impact and influence my relationship with You?
March 5
Shepherds and sheep would have been very familiar to the people of biblical Israel. Yet it's not as though sheep were the only kinds of animals they knew or had. Yet sheep is the metaphor used again and again to illustrate our relationship with God.
Consider for a few moments some of the other people-animal relationships that would have been familiar in that time and place. Horse and rider. Farmer and oxen. Farmer and hen. Fish and fisherman. Cow and herdsman. Even goat and herdsman.
The point is that there were other, familiar, people-animal relationships, but none of them are used to illustrate our relationship with God.
In your prayer time just now, talk with the Lord about the differences between those various relationships. Ask Him why your relationship with Him is not like those other people-animal relationships. And ask Him why your relationship with Him is like a shepherd and sheep.
Consider for a few moments some of the other people-animal relationships that would have been familiar in that time and place. Horse and rider. Farmer and oxen. Farmer and hen. Fish and fisherman. Cow and herdsman. Even goat and herdsman.
The point is that there were other, familiar, people-animal relationships, but none of them are used to illustrate our relationship with God.
In your prayer time just now, talk with the Lord about the differences between those various relationships. Ask Him why your relationship with Him is not like those other people-animal relationships. And ask Him why your relationship with Him is like a shepherd and sheep.
March 6
In our consideration of the relational titles for God -- and the counterpart titles for us -- we have acknowledged that there can be good and bad versions of each. There are both good and bad fathers. There are both good and bad sons and daughters.
Last week, we contemplated the attributes of a good shepherd. Now let us give thought to the attributes of a good sheep.
Spend one minute jotting down the characteristics of a good sheep. Do not rush to spiritual meaning or application. Focus on actual sheep.
Now, with that list of characteristics before you, talk to the Lord -- talk to your Shepherd -- about the kind of sheep you are and have been. Tell Him what you have learned about yourself. Confess what you need to confess. Call Him "Shepherd," and talk to Him about your becoming a better sheep.
Last week, we contemplated the attributes of a good shepherd. Now let us give thought to the attributes of a good sheep.
Spend one minute jotting down the characteristics of a good sheep. Do not rush to spiritual meaning or application. Focus on actual sheep.
Now, with that list of characteristics before you, talk to the Lord -- talk to your Shepherd -- about the kind of sheep you are and have been. Tell Him what you have learned about yourself. Confess what you need to confess. Call Him "Shepherd," and talk to Him about your becoming a better sheep.
March 7
We have noted two counterparts for the truth that the Lord is our Shepherd. On the one hand, there is the individual reality that you are His sheep. On the other hand, there is the collective reality that we are His flock.
Spend one minute jotting down the characteristics of a good flock, as well as what might characterize a bad flock. Again, do not over-spiritualize; focus your thinking on actual sheep.
Now, with those notes before you, talk to our Shepherd about the kind of flocks you have known and been a part of. Tell Him what you have learned about yourself and those flocks. Confess what you need to confess. Call Him "Shepherd," and talk to Him about your helping to make the best possible flock.
Spend one minute jotting down the characteristics of a good flock, as well as what might characterize a bad flock. Again, do not over-spiritualize; focus your thinking on actual sheep.
Now, with those notes before you, talk to our Shepherd about the kind of flocks you have known and been a part of. Tell Him what you have learned about yourself and those flocks. Confess what you need to confess. Call Him "Shepherd," and talk to Him about your helping to make the best possible flock.
March 8
As we have noted before, any relationship comes with certain implicit or explicit expectations. In a marriage, we make the expectations of love, faithfulness, and commitment explicit in the wedding vows. And we go through each day of married life with implicit expectations of things like attention, concern, communication, and such.
Of course, relational expectations depend heavily upon the quality of the other person involved. We reasonably have higher expectations of a good boss than we do of a bad one, of a good friend than we do of a poor one. And recently we have been meditating on the attributes of a good shepherd.
With all of that before you, then, ponder this question: What can I reasonably expect from a good Shepherd in my relationship with the Lord?
Jot down what comes to mind.
Now, in prayer, call Him "Good Shepherd," and talk to Him about what you have learned. Talk to Him about your understanding of your reasonable expectations. Thank and praise Him for these. And talk to Him about your own experience in relation to Him as your good Shepherd.
Of course, relational expectations depend heavily upon the quality of the other person involved. We reasonably have higher expectations of a good boss than we do of a bad one, of a good friend than we do of a poor one. And recently we have been meditating on the attributes of a good shepherd.
With all of that before you, then, ponder this question: What can I reasonably expect from a good Shepherd in my relationship with the Lord?
Jot down what comes to mind.
Now, in prayer, call Him "Good Shepherd," and talk to Him about what you have learned. Talk to Him about your understanding of your reasonable expectations. Thank and praise Him for these. And talk to Him about your own experience in relation to Him as your good Shepherd.
March 9
Psalm 80 is a prayer for help. We don't know the exact circumstances in which it was written, but it's clear from the text that the people of God are facing great troubles. And so, in the midst of those troubles, the Psalmist cries out to God for help.
This is how the Psalmist begins: "Oh, give ear, Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock..." (Psalm 80:1 NASB)
What follows is not an extended meditation on the Lord as Shepherd; it is merely the salutation. But that salutation carries with it assumptions. And that salutation is an expression of faith: an affirmation about the relationship between God and His people.
Why should a man or woman of God call Him "Shepherd" when they are in trouble?
In your prayer time just now, call out to Him from the midst of some trouble. It may be trouble that you yourself are experiencing. It may be the trouble of someone else for whom you are praying. It may be the trouble of a larger community or circumstance. Whatever the case, call out to Him about that trouble, and begin by saying, "Oh, give ear, Shepherd...!" Then build upon what you have learned in recent days, and make your appeal to the Good Shepherd.
This is how the Psalmist begins: "Oh, give ear, Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock..." (Psalm 80:1 NASB)
What follows is not an extended meditation on the Lord as Shepherd; it is merely the salutation. But that salutation carries with it assumptions. And that salutation is an expression of faith: an affirmation about the relationship between God and His people.
Why should a man or woman of God call Him "Shepherd" when they are in trouble?
In your prayer time just now, call out to Him from the midst of some trouble. It may be trouble that you yourself are experiencing. It may be the trouble of someone else for whom you are praying. It may be the trouble of a larger community or circumstance. Whatever the case, call out to Him about that trouble, and begin by saying, "Oh, give ear, Shepherd...!" Then build upon what you have learned in recent days, and make your appeal to the Good Shepherd.
March 10
As we conclude Week 10, make this verse from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah the basis for your prayer time:
"Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arm He will gather the lambs and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes." (Isaiah 40:11 NASB)
Good Shepherd, help me to see, to understand, and to trust:
"Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, in His arm He will gather the lambs and carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes." (Isaiah 40:11 NASB)
Good Shepherd, help me to see, to understand, and to trust:
- Your tenderness
- Your strength
- Your good will
- Your provident care