Your Good Shepherd
Shepherding has been a vital part of Middle Eastern life for thousands of years. And 2,000 years ago in ancient Israel, shepherds played an especially important role in the local economy.
Shepherds would not only lead their sheep to green pastures and freshwater, but they would also defend their flocks against predators, robbers, and other natural threats. They would nurture the weak, chase after wandering sheep, fix fences, persevere through extreme weather, and endure long seasons of loneliness.
If necessary, a shepherd would even put himself in harm’s way, risking his own life for his sheep.
It’s this ordinary, lonely life that Jesus chose to use to explain who He was to His people…
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
John 10:11 ESV
By using a tangible example that first-century Jews would have understood, Jesus revealed characteristics about Himself.
Just like a shepherd, Jesus was—and is—humble, selfless, hardworking, concerned with the details of our lives, tender, brave, dedicated, and unafraid to lay down His life for His people.
But Jesus isn’t just a good shepherd; He is the Good Shepherd— and He wants to be your personal shepherd. So will you let Him? Will you trust Him with your life today?
Again I cannot upload photos. So I can only share the verse of the day.
Deuteronomy 7:9 ESV
Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keep covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,
#verseoftheday #Deuteronomy97 #alwaysreadincontext
“See with what large letters I have written to you with my own hand! As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God. From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.”
Galatians 6:11-18 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/gal.6.11-18.NKJV
“And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above. And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies. And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings. And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings. And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even...