Good Shepherd

Two men were called on, in a large classroom, to recite the Twenty-third Psalm. One was a published orator trained in speech technique and drama. He repeated the psalm in a powerful way. When he finished, the audience cheered and even asked for an encore that they might hear his wonderful voice again. "Then the other man, who was much older, repeated the same words--'The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want...' But when he finished, no sound came from the large class. Instead, people sat in a deep mood of devotion and prayer.

Then the first man, the orator, stood to his feet. ‘I have a confession to make,' he said. 'The difference between what you have just heard from my old friend, and what you heard from me is this: I know the Psalm, my friend knows the Shepherd.'

I want you to ask yourself this question, "Do I really know the Shepherd?”

Jesus said: “I’ll be explicit; I am the Gate for the sheep. All those others are up to no good—sheep stealers, every one of them. But the sheep didn’t listen to them. I am the Gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for—will freely go in and out, and find pasture. A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. Jesus who is both the door and the good shepherd, is the means by which sheep find not only salvation but also safety and nurture. We not only have safety of the sheepfold, we also have an abundant life. Through Him, we are saved; following Him we have life more abundantly.

At different times in our lives, we feel the need for the shepherd in different ways. Sometimes our need for the safety of the sheepfold is acute. Other times, we are in dark and dangerous places, and need the Shepherd’s guidance. As you reflect on your life now, how is Jesus the Good Shepherd for you?

Will this be your prayer or song today?

When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with You above the storm
Father you are King over the flood
I will be still, know You are God