August 8 - The Good Shepherd

 Read today’s texts first: Jeremiah 1,2; John 10

MAXIMize YOUR DAY

It’s true - sheep are stupid, they’re followers,
they can’t fend for themselves. Okay - compared
to the Good Shepherd, that’s me!

I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me - just as the Father knows me and I know the Father - and I lay down my life for the sheep (10:14,15).

Jesus often compared Himself to a shepherd, and to us as sheep. People who don’t know Jesus don’t like that comparison. Sheep are stupid, they’re followers, they can’t fend for themselves. Compare me to a lion, king of the jungle, top of the food chain! The trouble is, when it comes to really understanding life here and the life to come, compared to God, we are pretty stupid and pretty much helpless. We were created to be dependent on God, our Good Shepherd. In fact, humbling ourselves and admitting our need for God is the first step toward real life, eternal life.

The next step is to know the Shepherd personally, to entrust our life to His care. When we get to know Jesus, we will learn to recognize His voice, and can follow His leading. There are a lot of voices calling out to us, trying to distract us, mislead us, draw us to the edge of some cliff or isolate us so we are attacked by predators. We are to beware of the sheep thief, who comes only to steal and kill and destroy. By way of illustration, Jeremiah is telling the Israelites, that’s exactly what they’ve done: they followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves (2:5b). Jesus, in contrast, comes that we may have life, and have it to the full (10:10).

How do we know we can trust this Shepherd, how do you know He is the “Good” Shepherd? It’s pretty simple. He’s not a hireling; it’s not just a job (10:12,13). He doesn’t look at His sheep as a paycheck, or worse, a future dinner, a rack of lamb with some nice mint sauce on the side! We can entrust our lives to Him because He laid down His life for us.

“Lord, I'm okay being called a sheep knowing You are my Good Shepherd.”

Saviour, like a shepherd lead us, much we need Thy tender care; In Thy pleasant pastures feed us, for our use Thy folds prepare. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus! Thou hast bought us, Thine we are.