The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 10:2-5,
"The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."
I note in this teaching of Jesus that people (the sheep) follow who they belong to. "...his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." Jesus teaches us a great point here. We follow-- we are influenced-- by who it is we belong to.
I find a similar point Jesus made about those who do not belong to his sheepfold (they belong to the other "shepherd", the devil), "Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires... Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! ... If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me? Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God." John 8:43-47.
I would like to think that I am my own man, that I don't follow anyone's influence, that I order my own perspectives and considerations. That simply is not the case for any of us. Jesus Christ said, "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me..." Verse 14. And, "... his sheep follow him because they know his voice."
I had a good friend tell me one time, "My wife does not like your religion or your politics." Well, we march to different drummers - we follow two different shepherds, we have two different influences in our lives. Why should she like my religion or my politics? We have two different mindsets because we have different influences on our lives.
Of course, we get to decide who we will be influenced by. Everybody starts life in a sinful condition and marches to the drumbeat of the devil. We can, however, choose Jesus Christ, who becomes the shepherd we follow, that we are influenced by. No, I am not my own man. I order my perspectives and my considerations based on the influence of Jesus Christ in my life through the Holy Spirit that dwells within me. It was once not that way. All I can say is,
"Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
Fear the Lord, you his holy people,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing." Psalm 34:8-10
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."
I note in this teaching of Jesus that people (the sheep) follow who they belong to. "...his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." Jesus teaches us a great point here. We follow-- we are influenced-- by who it is we belong to.
I find a similar point Jesus made about those who do not belong to his sheepfold (they belong to the other "shepherd", the devil), "Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires... Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! ... If I am telling the truth, why don't you believe me? Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God." John 8:43-47.
I would like to think that I am my own man, that I don't follow anyone's influence, that I order my own perspectives and considerations. That simply is not the case for any of us. Jesus Christ said, "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me..." Verse 14. And, "... his sheep follow him because they know his voice."
I had a good friend tell me one time, "My wife does not like your religion or your politics." Well, we march to different drummers - we follow two different shepherds, we have two different influences in our lives. Why should she like my religion or my politics? We have two different mindsets because we have different influences on our lives.
Of course, we get to decide who we will be influenced by. Everybody starts life in a sinful condition and marches to the drumbeat of the devil. We can, however, choose Jesus Christ, who becomes the shepherd we follow, that we are influenced by. No, I am not my own man. I order my perspectives and my considerations based on the influence of Jesus Christ in my life through the Holy Spirit that dwells within me. It was once not that way. All I can say is,
"Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
Fear the Lord, you his holy people,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing." Psalm 34:8-10
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
No comments:
Post a Comment