John 10:14-15 – “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.”
In biblical times, being a shepherd was a very common job. The shepherd would spend all day with his sheep. He would even sleep with his sheep to make sure they were protected. Shepherds led their sheep, they didn’t coral them or walk behind them when they travelled. And they knew each sheep by name. The sheep also knew the voice of their shepherd and would not follow a stranger. The shepherd would lead his flock from place to place to find food and water. It was during these walks around the countryside, that the sheep were in danger of straying from the flock. When a sheep is away from the care of his shepherd, he is vulnerable to attack. But when the Shepherd is nearby, he protects his sheep even unto death. A good shepherd would also leave his flock to go and look for that one little lost sheep. And when the shepherd found him, he would safely bring him back to the flock where the sheep continued to live under the shepherd’s care.
For a number of years, I was that little lost sheep. I had strayed looking for greener grass. And now when I look back at that time of my life, I realize that I didn’t really know my Shepherd much at all. I didn’t have a personal relationship with Him, so when He called my name, my ears weren’t trained to hear His voice. But Jesus has a way of bringing you back. He restored me to Himself and now, I know His voice. It’s so much easier not to go astray when I connect with my Good Shepherd every day.
So, are you lost? Have you strayed? Are you enticed by the green grass on the other side of the hill, away from the protection of your Shepherd? Do you know His voice? He knows where you are, and He knows that you are worth dying for. As a matter of fact, He already did. The Good Shepherd is calling your name. Follow Him.
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You probably already know this, but just in case, when I learned it I found it very fascinating. Often times when the shepherds would be out with their sheep they would meet up with other shepherds and the sheep would intermingle. When it came time for each shepherd to go his own way, the shepherds would call out their sheep and only their sheep would follow that particularly shepherds voice. So, in the midst of chaos and being surrounded by other “sheep” we can still hear our Father’s voice calling us out. Also, if they had a sheep that continuously wandered off they would break the leg of the sheep and then carry it around their neck, as the leg healed the sheep would form a bond to their shepherd.
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