I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep.
John 10:14-15
“I am your shepherd. Few people in your society know what that really means; you aren’t familiar with the life of a shepherd. But I want you to know that I sleep where you sleep. I lead you – even drive you – where you need to go. Unless you willfully reject Me, I make sure you don’t stray too far from the path, though I let you wander freely within My pastures. When you get stuck in a ditch, I pull you out. When you fall into a ravine, I rescue you and heal your wounds. Without Me, you would wander aimlessly, scrounging for food wherever you happened upon it, and be vulnerable to predators all around you. You wouldn’t survive. I spend My days and nights with you because it is My responsibility to care for you. You can’t take care of yourself. You need Me.
I like that arrangement. I enjoy shepherding. I develop a relationship with My sheep and teach you to recognize My voice above all others. You don’t know the significance of all the placed I take you or even why I take you there, but you can trust Me to guide you well. I may correct your course but I don’t punish you harshly. You’re sheep, after all. If you understood – if you saw the landscape as I do – you would never stray. But you don’t, and you can’t – not from your perspective. I know your weaknesses and am patient with you, much more patient than you are with yourself.
You need to understand that sheep don’t worry about the future, obsess about their mistakes, or strategize their lives. And if you knew the heart of this Shepherd, you wouldn’t either. Sheep follow. That’s all I’m asking you to do.”
Jesus I know I can trust my Shepherd. You’ve proven that You will go to extremes to care for me. Help me to follow you well.
-Source: One Year Experiencing God Devotional by Chris Teagreen
I read this devotion some days before my 33rd birthday. And immediately God spoke to me through the words above in such a loving and romantic way that I am enthralled by Him all the more.
I can imagine how peaceful and contented my life would be if I just learn to lean on the Shepherd. I can visualize how Jesus allows me to wander among His pasture – these are the myriad of choices I have, each seemingly as good as the other, generating great outcomes. And yet, there are moments when I find myself in a ditch – stuck – unable to get out. And that’s when He comes and pulls me out.
Thank God, I have never found myself in a ravine. I did – many years ago. When I strayed too far from the pasture and despite repeated warnings from the Shepherd, I pushed on to the very edge. I came face to face with predators and fell in a ravine. Though thankfully, these weren’t very bad predators and nor was the ravine too deep. But still Jesus had to rescue me and heal my wounds.
Years later, I could never dream of going to the very edge of His pasture again. And as soon as His voice calls, I come running back to Him.
I am struck that as sheep I am not meant to strategize my life. I cannot, after all, see the same perspective as He does. I can make plans, have dreams and my own visions. He encourages those. But too often, these plans get derailed – such as my wedding being derailed by the COVID pandemic – and in these moments, when I can grumble and stomp my feet like a spoiled brat – I choose instead to be reminded that my Shepherd knows better. He sees the entire landscape. And I simply have to just trust Him, stay close and weather the storm.
After this devotion, I started calling Jesus fondly – my Shepherd. For me it had a protective, loving, romantic ring to it. And I simply adored God all the more.
I can go on and on about how much better life is with this realization. But I invite you to come and experience it for yourself. There is nothing better than having this kind of assurance that a Heavenly Shepherd watches over our every move and directs our path towards good – ALL THE TIME.
Come and know Jesus. He longs to be personal with each one of us.
