John 10:11-21
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
19 The Jews who heard these words were again divided. 20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?”
21 But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” [1]
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What strikes me today again is a contrast, this time between Jesus the Good Shepherd and the hired hand. The difference is that unlike the hired hand, the Good Shepherd doesn’t run away when the wolves come around. Although Jesus doesn’t elaborate on what the Good Shepherd does, His clear implication is that the Good Shepherd stays and protects the flock. Instead of the wolf attacking the sheep, the shepherd will attack and scatter the wolves.
Are there wolves in my life? Jesus would assure us that such is always the case. That’s why He instructs us to pray daily for deliverance from evil. This passage puts a picture in my mind of my Good Shepherd going with me throughout the day, watching for the wolves, and bashing them with his shepherd’s rod. Maybe you don’t picture Jesus as Warrior-Shepherd, but I think that’s implied here. Think about David listing his credentials to Saul before taking on Goliath, how as a shepherd he had fought the lion and the bear and killed them to protect the sheep (1 Samuel 17:34-36). There’s more to the Good Shepherd metaphor than carrying a lamb in His arms. He fights for the sheep. He fights for me.
So I’m thinking about the challenges I may face today, the wolves that may be laying in wait. (And by wolves I don’t mean people, but rather the spiritual evil around and in me.) But I don’t go into this day alone. My Good Shepherd is with me, and so I fear no evil though I walk through the darkest valley. His rod and staff give me comfort.
My prayer is one of thanks to my Warrior-Shepherd-Savior. I pray for faith to face the challenges of this day, confident that my Shepherd is with me.
[1] The New International Version. 2011 (Jn 10:11–21). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.