“I am the Good Shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” John 10:14
My accountability girls and I are currently doing a study by Jennifer Kennedy Dean called The Life Changing Power in the Name. It goes through the book of John and breaks down all of the “I AM” statements that Christ makes. “I am the Bread of Life,” “I am the Light of the World,” “I am the Good Shepherd,” “I am the Gate,” “I am the Vine,” etc. Last week’s lessons were geared towards Christ being the Good Shepherd and it touched me a lot, especially since it is Easter season.
I’ve never really thought about the meaning of Christ being the Good Shepherd until now (other than the visual image of Jesus with a lamb around his neck) and it really is such a beautiful description of our relationship with Him. A good shepherd protects His sheep from thieves and wolves. He keeps them from going astray. He searches for them when they are lost. His sheep feel at peace in His presence. And you know what else? Sometimes the shepherd lays down His life so that His sheep don’t have to die. Isn’t that just a comforting realization??? That Christ is my Shepherd and I am always protected. He laid down his life for me so that I might be saved from the ultimate thief.
On another note, I am reading a book for leisure called Unveiled by Francine Rivers. It is about Tamar. Francine Rivers, who is one of my favorite authors, has a series of short novellas about the 5 unlikely women who changed eternity (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba and Mary). They are historical fiction in that she uses the facts from the Bible as her basis but then fills in with other information as she feels appropriate and accurate to the day. One quote I really liked related completely to what I was learning about the Good Shepherd in my other study. Isn’t that amazing how God can teach us the same thing through many different means? Basically, Judah is talking about his evil son, Er, and how he doesn’t want Er to inherit his sheep and land. Here is how Judah describes Er as a shepherd…
“Judah wished he hadn’t returned to his house so quickly. Far better had he returned to his flocks and seen to the animals that Er too often neglected in his absence. His eldest had handed the full responsibility over to Onan after three short days! Er was a fool and useless as a shepherd. He had no love for the sheep that would one day belong to him. The boy stood by while wolves ripped open the belly of a defenseless ewe, then ran the predators off to become one himself. Er took pleasure in delivering the deathblow to a prized ram. Then he roasted and ate the meat!”
Aren’t you glad that God leaves us with a Shepherd that loves us so much and never leaves a substitute to take his place?
Some other thoughts that relate to Easter…You know, obviously, that this is my first Easter as a mother and though I don’t really know much about my child other than that he/she lives in my womb and kicks around and relies completely on me…I love him/her with my whole heart already. I can’t imagine giving this baby up for the world. And I can’t imagine how God felt giving up his only son so that selfish, sinners could live. And His son was perfect. I can assure you that mine will not be perfect (although probably close to it). I just really appreciate God’s sacrifice to me this year more than other years in the past.
I hope you enjoy your Holiday weekend and remember what a BIG deal this holiday really is.
I’ve never really thought about the meaning of Christ being the Good Shepherd until now (other than the visual image of Jesus with a lamb around his neck) and it really is such a beautiful description of our relationship with Him. A good shepherd protects His sheep from thieves and wolves. He keeps them from going astray. He searches for them when they are lost. His sheep feel at peace in His presence. And you know what else? Sometimes the shepherd lays down His life so that His sheep don’t have to die. Isn’t that just a comforting realization??? That Christ is my Shepherd and I am always protected. He laid down his life for me so that I might be saved from the ultimate thief.
On another note, I am reading a book for leisure called Unveiled by Francine Rivers. It is about Tamar. Francine Rivers, who is one of my favorite authors, has a series of short novellas about the 5 unlikely women who changed eternity (Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba and Mary). They are historical fiction in that she uses the facts from the Bible as her basis but then fills in with other information as she feels appropriate and accurate to the day. One quote I really liked related completely to what I was learning about the Good Shepherd in my other study. Isn’t that amazing how God can teach us the same thing through many different means? Basically, Judah is talking about his evil son, Er, and how he doesn’t want Er to inherit his sheep and land. Here is how Judah describes Er as a shepherd…
“Judah wished he hadn’t returned to his house so quickly. Far better had he returned to his flocks and seen to the animals that Er too often neglected in his absence. His eldest had handed the full responsibility over to Onan after three short days! Er was a fool and useless as a shepherd. He had no love for the sheep that would one day belong to him. The boy stood by while wolves ripped open the belly of a defenseless ewe, then ran the predators off to become one himself. Er took pleasure in delivering the deathblow to a prized ram. Then he roasted and ate the meat!”
Aren’t you glad that God leaves us with a Shepherd that loves us so much and never leaves a substitute to take his place?
Some other thoughts that relate to Easter…You know, obviously, that this is my first Easter as a mother and though I don’t really know much about my child other than that he/she lives in my womb and kicks around and relies completely on me…I love him/her with my whole heart already. I can’t imagine giving this baby up for the world. And I can’t imagine how God felt giving up his only son so that selfish, sinners could live. And His son was perfect. I can assure you that mine will not be perfect (although probably close to it). I just really appreciate God’s sacrifice to me this year more than other years in the past.
I hope you enjoy your Holiday weekend and remember what a BIG deal this holiday really is.
Happy Easter…He has Risen!
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