By: Juliet Constantine

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)
 

As children, maybe the first passage we learned to recite was Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” Like so many scripture text, we just recited without having the deep meaning impacted our lives. But as we grow older and our relationship with God deepens, the meaning of those words became clearer and clearer to us. Jesus came to shepherd us back to God.

“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” For many, the meaning didn’t fully ‘hit’ us until we experience His love in shepherding us back to Himself. Like any sheep, in our youthful years, many of us have strayed from His loving care. But just as He said, “I am the good shepherd”, He comes searching for His own.

Jesus told the story of a Shepherd who had 100 sheep and one went astray. The Shepherd secured the 99 sheep and went in search of the missing one. You see, the sheep didn’t know it was lost and didn’t know the way home. It needed the love and care of a good shepherd to rescue it. The Shepherd sought and found it, and brought it home again.

Jesus told another story of a young man who thought it was his time to see and experience the world. You see, this young man was brought up in a sheltered and secured home. He felt too confined. He wanted to experience the pleasures that the world offers as home was too boring. But then, things didn’t quite work out the way he envisioned and he decided home was the better place to be. This strayed young man knew his way home. He returned home, to the joy of his father who made him welcome.

Perhaps you have strayed from the security with which you were brought up, and you’ll like to return home. The good Shepherd is searching for you. He is your Shepherd of love. He will not chide you over your waywardness, but instead, with open arms will put His robe on you and give you a welcoming embrace. You can come on home. He’s working His way toward you. He wants you home again.

Jesus is your Good Shepherd of Love! He knows if you’ve gone astray. And He will not condemn you. He is waiting with open arms to welcome you home again. Won’t you come on home? Come back to Him. All He asks of you is to stay by His side. He is truly our Shepherd of Love!

Our Father in Heaven, thank You for searching for us even when we didn’t know we were lost. Thank You for rescuing us from eternal damnation. May we stay by Your side forever, we pray, in Jesus’ name, amen.

 

Copyrighted by Juliet Constantine 2014 (for “Alone With God – At His Feet” Daily Devotional)