Wednesday: A Shepherd
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
The Good Shepherd is a name Jesus gave to himself. Those who listened to his messages, as he wandered around Palestine, were familiar with shepherds.
Sheep were kept at night in a sheep-fold to protect them from robbers or wild animals. To get into the fold, one had to pass a gatekeeper. Sometimes the shepherd lay across the entrance, serving as the door. Only a robber would try to enter a sheep-fold by climbing over the wall.
Jesus came to earth to be our door, our access to God's fold. He has opened the way into God's presence. Through Jesus, we receive safety and protection. There is nothing selfish about our shepherd. He cares for his flock. Just as the shepherd sometimes dies in protecting the sheep, so Jesus voluntarily gave his life for us.
Since there was very little grass in some areas of Palestine, sheep were likely to wander in search of food. Sheep learned to recognize the sound of their shepherd's voice. They would not follow a stranger. A good shepherd went in search of those who were lost, bringing them back to join the flock. Jesus is always looking for us when we stray. "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." Psalm 23:1 (NRSV)
For Reflection: How does having a shepherd comfort me?
A Prayer Seed:
Savior, like a Shepherd lead us,
Much we need thy tender care;
In thy pleasant pastures feed us,
For our use Thy folds prepare.
Dorothy A. Thrupp, 1836
