Feeling Sheepish

Daily Reading: John 10

Scripture Focus: He who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out (John 10.2-3)

Devotional Thought: "I love that chapter in John that talks about the sheep and the Shepherd." Those were my wife Lana's words to me a few days ago. I was excited, because I love that chapter, and because I knew that it would be coming soon in The Climb: Stay Focused. Lana's always ahead of me!

In the early verses of this chapter, Jesus talks about the Shepherd, the Gatekeeper, and the sheep:

• Jesus is the Shepherd. Jesus identifies himself as the Shepherd of the sheep. Drawing from a long-understood metaphor in Israel, Jesus likened himself to the shepherd who “makes us to lie down in green pastures, who leads us beside still waters, who restores our soul." The Shepherd is our Provider, our Defender, our Guide. But, there is a problem. Our sins have separated us from the Shepherd (Isaiah 59.2).

• The Holy Spirit is the Gatekeeper. This is where the Holy Spirit enters the equation. He is the Gatekeeper that opens the door (which is, by the way, Jesus, but that is for another day...) so that the Shepherd and the sheep can be united. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit "will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment" (John 16.8). The Holy Spirit helps us in our infirmities to know how to pray to the Shepherd!

• We are the sheep called by name who are led out. Reunited with the Good Shepherd, we are led out from the bondage of sin to the freedom of those green pastures. Even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we need not fear!

Amen!

Prayer: "Savior, like a shepherd lead us, much we need thy tender care. In thy pleasant pastures feed us; for our use thy folds prepare." Grant, O Lord, that we might be called out by name and led forth in grace. Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 35.18-21

18 I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you.

19 Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes, and let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause. 20 For they do not speak peace, but against those who are quiet in the land they devise words of deceit. 21 They open wide their mouths against me; they say, “Aha, Aha! Our eyes have seen it!”