Day 208 The Good Shepherd

 

7/27/2025

 "I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep,

and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me,

even so I know the Father; and I lay down

My life for the sheep." 

John 10:14-15 

  

When I was a child, I always looked forward to Sunday mornings, but probably not for the right reasons. Every Sunday morning mama would make pancakes for breakfast, with bacon or sausage, orange juice or coffee, or both! Oh, how I love pancakes to this day. My diet has had to change since then, as I make gluten free pancakes these days, but they still taste the same. Gluten free food has come a long way. Of course, I have always enjoyed going to Sunday School and church services on Sundays, and I even enjoy services on Saturdays. Sometimes I walk to church, even on muggy hot mornings, but there always seems to be a slight breeze to help me on my way. My son says the church is a mere 300 feet from our house, besides I love walking, even on days when my legs don't want to cooperate. Thanks to technology, I can enjoy sermons from my pastor other pastors I follow, any time I want, but Sunday afternoons are my favorite times to soak in the word. God said to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy, and that's what I love to do. Sabbath and Sunday. My cup runs over with the goodness of the Lord.

This morning on our prayer call, Pastor Gerald from the Philippines, shared a short message based on Psalm 23, the beloved pastoral hymn of David, the Shepherd King. When I was a child, this psalm was one of the first ones I memorized. I always encourage others to memorize scripture, grafting it within the heart where it is needed in times of reassurance that they are not alone. New Christians are instructed to memorize scripture, and I always encourage the ladies in my Harvest Group to do the same. The day may come when we will not be allowed to have a Bible. Sadly, although we have a President who is trying to change things, there is still persecution here in America for the follower of Christ, and the Bible is not wanted in libraries or schools. In many places, the Gideon Bibles have been removed from hotel rooms. What a shame when the word of God has so much to offer to a sick and dying world. In foreign countries, saints are willing to die than give up their copy of the word of God. What will happen here in America should that day come? God forbid that it should come to that point, but Jesus said that in the end there would be scoffers of His word. This is happening already, increasing day by day. People praying in silence in public places have been arrested and been found guilty of causing riots. Not too long ago, a man was arrested for setting an elderly Jewish lady on fire. What has become of our once moral, respectful nation?! What is the answer? The answer is not a what but a who, the answer is Jesus.

Psalm 23 begins with the familiar phrase, "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want."  A shepherd cares for his flock, protects and defends them from predators. If they fall down, he picks them up; if one is missing, he leaves the others and goes out to find that one. Jesus is our Good Shepherd, who tends His flock, the believers, and protects them from evil. If one goes missing, He leaves the others and searches for the one who has gone astray. His sheep know His voice and respond when He calls. He sees to their every need in the kingdom. In the parable of the Lost Sheep, found in Luke 15:1-7, Jesus describes His love and care for His flock. It is a parable where He is symbolically comparing believers as the flock, the church. In John 10:1-30, Jesus gives a deeper understanding of the physical and spiritual role of the Good Shepherd, who lays down His life for the sheep. His sheep know His name.

Verses 2-3, "He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the path of righteousness for His name's sake." In his book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, Phillip Keller, a shepherd born in South Africa, gives a wonderful study of the psalm from the viewpoint of a modern day shepherd in comparison to the role of our Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. Keller shares four requirements for a sheep to lie down:

"Owing to their timidity they refuse to lie down unless they free of all fear. Because of the social behavior within a flock, sheep will not lie down unless they are free from friction with others of their kind. If tormented by flies or parasites, sheep will not lie down. Only when free of these pests can they relax. Lastly, sheep will not lie down as long as they feel in need of finding food. They must be free from hunger."

The author, who is a shepherd, makes great efforts to describe his life as the caretaker of his flock, considering the idiosyncrasies of their natures. Jesus as our Good Shepherd knows His flock, and He says that His sheep know His name. Because we have relationship with Jesus, hear His voice and trust Him, we can know that He will care for our needs, comfort and walk beside us, leading us not only to green pastures, where we can rest, but He also relieves our thirst, restoring our souls. In the arid areas of the middle east, it is hot and dry, so water is a necessity. Jesus is the living water. If we drink of the water He gives, we will never thirst again (John 4). He teaches us His precepts, which is the word of God, and leads us in the path that we are to go. Psalm 119:105 calls the word a lamp to our feet, a light unto our path. He restores our souls tangibly and spiritually with nutrition and hydration. Our physical life line, and our spiritual yearning. 

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and staff, they comfort me.

King David spoke of fighting off a bear and lion, courageously putting the welfare of His sheep before his own life. He showed this same zeal when he attacked and killed Goliath. He stayed the hand of his enemies through his trust and faith in the power of the Lord. We have this hope and trust in Jesus who goes before us daily, setting His angels guard about us, hearing and responding to our prayers of faith. Protecting those who abide in Him and call on His name. The terrain in Israel can be hazardous, because of the mountainous paths and deep ravines, and deep streams of water. If a sheep falls into water, his lush, wool coat absorbs it and weighs him down, making it impossible for him to get out of the water, so he can easily drown. The shepherd uses his rod and staff to guard the sheep from such hazards and as a means of pulling them away from danger with the crook of the staff. Our Good Shepherd calls out to us, comforts us, and strengthens us when we fall or stray off the narrow path that He has set before us in His word. He draws us back, and He comforts and renews. He restores, and He corrects. I have felt the "crook" of His staff warning me many times.

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."

Before the spring season comes, when the shepherd takes the sheep to high pasture lands - table lands - he must go and prepare the area to ensure it is safe for the sheep. As the snows melts, the shepherd searches for poisonous plants that may have taken root, removes stones, makes the way safe. In our lives the Lord goes before us and keeps us from evil. The word promises in Psalm 91 that His angels encompass around us, and in Psalm 27, He is our refuge and our strength. Many times in scripture He assures us of His presence and His great love for His people. In 1 Samuel 17:47 David tells Goliath that "the battle is the LORD's," and many times in scripture the word testifies that God fights for us.

Sheep are susceptible to pests, and during "fly time," a season when the flies are particularly ferocious, the shepherd has to remove pests that get into the thick wool, and they treat the sores with oil that soothes and heals. In James 4:14, "Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord." Oil represents the presence of Holy Spirit, and Mary of Bethany anointed Jesus with oil - a fragrant rich perfumed oil called nard - prior to His death. Oil is also used for cooking and for lighting the lamps, and as a soothing balm for healing. On the night Jesus was betrayed, He was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. Gethsemane means "oil press" in Hebrew. When oil is squeezed from olives, a big stone is used to press the oil, requiring great strength and pressure. In the Garden, Jesus asked for the cup to be removed, if God so willed. The agony, the pressure/squeezing was so great that Jesus sweat drops of blood from broken capillaries.

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."

A good shepherd takes care of his flock in all the ways described above, and he tenderly cares for them. Our Good Shepherd leads us, protects us, and watches over us, as we walk in obedience to Him. Our Good Shepherd paid the ultimate price for us with His death, taking our place on the cross. He died, was buried, arose the third day, and now sits in heaven seated at the right hand of our Father, making intercession for us. One day He will return for us, and together we will live for all eternity, dwelling in the house of the LORD forever. Oh, what a day that will be!