Jesus Is Our Good Shepherd - The Crosswalk Devotional - June 10
Jesus Is Our Good Shepherd
By Vivian Bricker
Bible Reading:
“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing” (Psalm 23:1).
I went on a mission internship during college as an intern for my Intercultural Studies minor. While there, I learned much about the culture, people, and beliefs of the country I was now calling my temporary home. However, one thing that stuck out to me the most in the United Kingdom was the sheep. Anywhere we would go, there would be sheep. Besides the highway, at parks, and randomly roaming along the hills, I would spot sheep—and they were not very smart.
One of the couples from the church I was staying with took me to Dartmoor Park, where sheep were everywhere. After hiking for a few hours and learning about Dartmoor, I was fascinated by the entire area. It was beautiful, so green, and so calming. That was until it was time to go. While driving out of the park, a few sheep blocked the exit.
After blowing the horn a few times and motioning for the sheep to move, we were met with a “baa.” After a few more minutes of this, with the car horn alternating with “baa” from the sheep, I thought, “How can they be so dumb? Why don’t they move?” We could have run the sheep over, but they were stubborn and were not moving anywhere soon.
Whenever I reflect on this story, I think about how often God refers to us as sheep (Psalm 95:7, 100:3). Are we really as bad as the sheep I saw in England? The answer is yes. We are stubborn and don’t want to change our ways, even if that means we might get run over. However, God doesn’t leave us in our stubbornness, unrepentance, and rebellion.
Instead, He picks us up, stands beside us, and meets us where we are. He won’t allow the car to come run us over. He is our Good Shepherd and will protect us from all harm. If a human shepherd cares so much about their sheep, how much more will Jesus care about us? His love is unconditional and never-changing, which means He will always be there for us, keeping us strong and safe.
Sometimes, we may feel that we are far from His protection and goodness, but He is always with us. Even when we feel alone, He is right beside us. Despite our stubborn and unwilling hearts, Jesus still loves us. This love is so great that He left Heaven to be born into the world, live a sinless life, and die for the world's sins (John 3:16-17). We never need to doubt Jesus’ love for us or His protection, goodness, or kindness.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
Psalm 23 is the classical psalm that highlights Jesus as our Good Shepherd. Psalm 23:1 says, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” While this psalm contains many other important teachings, we are focusing on how Jesus is our Shepherd, and this truth means we lack nothing. Having Jesus as our Shepherd means we have the greatest protection from our Savior and Lord.
Similar to how a shepherd fights back against wolves and other creatures to protect his sheep, Jesus will protect us from evil. Maybe this won’t be physical wolves or other predators, but He will protect us from every evil attack (2 Timothy 4:18). We can trust in the Lord and find solace in His goodness. Times can feel difficult right now, but Jesus is still in control and will forever be the true King.
All our anxiety, worry, and trouble must be given to Him. We lack nothing because we belong to Jesus. Whatever is bringing our hearts trouble today, we can give it all to Jesus, who will uphold us. Even when we feel we lack something physical or spiritual, we need to remember that in Christ, we lack nothing. He has blessed us with everything we need.
Do you currently relate to sheep? Have you been stubborn or unwilling to listen to God? The Lord is our Good Shepherd. How did this help you see the world in a different light? Because of Jesus, we lack nothing. What does this mean to you?
Further Reading:
Proverbs 3:5-6
Isaiah 41:10
Colossians 2:10
Photo Credit:©Unsplash/Biegun Wschodni
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