Daily Devotional for Tuesday, August 27

Asaph’s Frustration

“O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture? Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt,” Psalm 74:1,2.

God is the Shepherd of His people. In the Old Testament, the Israelites were His sheep, and in the New Testament, sheep refers to His churches. Most of the time, when the Shepherd and sheep relationship is being used, it is pointing out that God takes care of His people. He provides and sustains. The Shepherd goes through great strides to make sure his sheep are being nourished with proper food, protected from wild animals and given everything they need to be satisfied and content.

The Temple in Jerusalem laid in ruins. Once again, because of the people of Israel’s sin and rebellion, they were defeated, and God was distant and angry. Asaph’s plea was that God would not cast them off because Israel was His chosen, redeemed people. He was asking the Lord to remember them, to have mercy on them. Asaph knew God was able to deliver His people from the enemy, and he had hope that He would.

The church is God’s blood bought redeemed people. Though there are times He is angry or grieved by the way His people act, every child of God is His forever. And though He is a merciful and gracious God, do not take that for granted by being rebellious because there will always be consequences for your actions.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
“What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid” (Romans 6:15).

Karry Irizarry