Skip to main content

my shepherd


I love the 23rd Psalm.  I have shared it many times over the last few weeks.  One of the things that is difficult, if you follow my train of thought, is that Jesus called us sheep.  Sheep aren’t the smartest of animals, but they have something so good going for them.  That would be the shepherd.


John 10:3-4  NLT

The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him.  He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice.

 

The relationship between the shepherd and the sheep was special.  That relationship brought comfort, strength and protection, and there are some parts about this relationship that I want to remind us about.

 

The sheep recognize the shepherd’s voice.

 

We can know the voice of God.  We recognize His voice because we spend time with Him.  We’ve talked.  We’ve listened.  Sheep find that the shepherd’s voice calms their fears and guides them.  That is true of God.

 

The sheep hear His voice and come to Him.

 

We listen to God’s voice and respond by coming to Him.  By coming to God we will find what we need.  This takes faith.  We set aside our fears and failures to find strength from God bringing faith and success.

 

He calls his sheep by name.

 

Our relationship with God is personal.  He not only knows our name, but He calls us by name.  He loves us and desires to spend time with us.  He wants to bless our lives in ways we cannot even imagine.  A shepherd provides for and protects the sheep.  God does that to us as we hear His voice, we come to Him and listen even closer.

 

The shepherd walks ahead of the sheep.

 

God goes ahead of us.  He knows where we are, and He knows where we are going.  He knows what we need.  Sheep and shepherd have a connection.  


We connect to God by accepting Jesus and by following Him each day.  Sheep often try to go their own only to realize the safest, strongest and best place is with the shepherd.

 

John 10:9-11  NLT

Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. 10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Catalyst ticket arrived

My ticket to the Catalyst Conference, in Atlanta Oct 8-10, just arrived. I'm excited!
10 comments
Read more

Have you heard of EDITH BURNS?

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas . She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns.  One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns.  When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her.  Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns.  Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved.  Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?"  Beverly said, "Why yes I do."  Edith said, "Well, what do you ...
Post a Comment
Read more

wash feet, sharing hope

  John 13:4-5,14 NLT  So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him… 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. Jesus set the example we follow.  He served.  He valued and gave value to others.  That is why we choose to serve. For 18 years our church has shared an outreach called back2school, and for 16 of those years we have chosen to give students brand new shoes and socks as well as washing their feet.  It is one of the most important parts of this event. Washing feet is a humbling experience where both the give and the receiver learn how to share some moments that might change their lives.  Jesus said we should do this.  See the verse above.  Follow His example, do what He did, and give far more than you will ever know....
Post a Comment
Read more