Daily Devotions

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.
Psalm 23:1-3

Mine!

Mine! A child reaches for a toy, rips it from his brother’s hands, and shouts, “Mine!” Certainly, a lesson in sharing is in order when it comes to playing. But a heart that cries out “Mine!” isn’t always a bad thing. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, loves us so deeply and possessively that he declares, “Mine!” And when a heart responds to Jesus’ love, it shouts, “Mine! You are mine, and I am yours!”

The writer of this psalm pictures himself as a helpless sheep, no longer helpless because the Lord is his shepherd. Hear the possessive love, “My Shepherd!” I am his and he is mine forever. Mine! None of us are literal sheep or literal shepherds, but we can appreciate the imagery. Even if you’re not a sheep, can’t you picture the peace and quiet of lying down on the green grass near a babbling brook where you’re just resting, no longer running around and scrambling through a frantic life? The Lord, our Good Shepherd, gives us a rest far greater than that! He gives us rest for our souls. He refreshes us with the very love of God to sustain us all our days and give us eternal life. These blessings are not something I have to wait for; right now, they are mine through Jesus!

The Lord shepherds you through this life with a love so tender and possessive, a love that screams from a gruesome cross and then from an empty tomb, and now from a throne in heaven, “Mine! You are mine!” your Good shepherd declares. And throughout this life, we can confidently respond, “Mine!” Jesus and all his blessings are mine! The Lord is my Shepherd. He shepherds us through life and to our final destination—heaven, where we will be at peace in our Good Shepherd’s arms. He is mine, and I am his. Forever.

Prayer:
Lord, you are my Shepherd, and I lack nothing. “Surely, your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Amen.

[Jesus said] “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me. . . 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.”
John 10:14,16

Listen to the Good Shepherd’s Voice

When you hear different voices all shouting at once, which one do you listen to? Parents know what that’s like when all their children are crying at once. Teachers have been in a classroom where multiple students call out different answers to the same question. When so many voices are calling out, it’s hard to hear any one of them.

There are a lot of voices in the world clamoring for our attention. All of them are saying different things. There’s the voice of popular opinion—what people think is correct and acceptable. There are the voices of false teachings—this teacher says this, that teacher says that. There are voices of criticism calling the Christian faith outdated or unloving. Internally, we hear the voice of doubt and uncertainty.

But there is one voice that triumphs over all. The voice of the Good Shepherd calls us to listen to him. And as we listen to him, we come to know him better. The voice of your Good Shepherd calls out to you in every word of the Bible. He quiets the clamor of all the voices in the world. He calls us back from the dangers of sin and unbelief and speaks soothing words of forgiveness and reassurance. We listen to his voice to know what is true and good. We listen to his voice to have all doubt chased away so we can live confidently in God’s love.

Prayer:
Good Shepherd, quite the clamor of the world around me so I may always listen to your voice. Amen.

[Jesus said] “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.”
John 10:14,15

The Good Shepherd Knows

A fan can know a lot about a celebrity on a superficial level. They can know the celebrity’s birthday, life story, and so many other details. However, if they were to bump into each other in public, the celebrity would know nothing about the fan. It’s a one-sided, superficial relationship at best.

Have you ever thought of your relationship with Jesus in the same way— “I know a lot about him, but does he really know me?” Or maybe you are searching the Bible to learn more about God and what he’s like, but does he really know you? It’s actually the other way around. Jesus, your Good Shepherd, knows you. And not on a superficial level. He knows you better than you know him. In fact, he knew you, loved you, and laid down his life for you before you ever came to know him.

Before the sheep realized the danger, the shepherd knew and acted to save the sheep. Before it ever dawned on us how much we needed Jesus and his salvation, he laid down his life for us. He knows his sheep. He knows you intimately. At first thought, it might startle you to realize God knows you that well. Perhaps there are things about you that no one else knows, and it would terrify you if they did. Jesus knows those things. However, it didn’t lead him to run away or shun you. It led him to lay down his life for you. Listen to what your Good Shepherd calls you: my sheep!

He knows your deepest needs better than you do, and he knows how best to meet them. He knows the guilt you’ve felt and the trouble you’ve experienced. He takes you in his arms, cleanses you of all guilt, and calms your troubled heart. Your Savior knows you and loves you. You are his!

Prayer:
Lord, shepherd me through the ups and downs of life and grant all that I need, as you know best. Amen.

[Jesus said] “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. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.”
John 10:12-15

The Good Shepherd Saves

Save the animal in danger, or save your life? Which would you choose? It seems like a no-brainer. As much as you care for a creature in danger, would you protect that creature if it cost you your life? A hired hand would protect his own life over the life of a sheep, and understandably so. But not the shepherd, especially not the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd protects and saves his sheep at the expense of his own life.

Of course, we’re not just sheep. God is our Creator, and we are his creatures—the crown of his creation! Humanity didn’t mindlessly wander away from the Lord; we sinned and rebelled against our Maker. It’s understandable that a hired hand would not spare his life to save a sheep. It’s even more understandable, humanly speaking, that our perfect God would take our life as punishment for our sins. Instead, he gave his life to save us from sin. Our Good Shepherd didn’t abandon his creatures who once abandoned him. He laid down his life for us.

You are more precious than a sheep. You are such a precious soul that your God and Maker valued your life at the price of his own Son’s life. Your Good Shepherd defied all human understanding by giving his perfect life to give you eternal life. He saved you from being abandoned and devoured by sin and Satan. He brought you into his fold, where you belong to the God who made and saved you.

Prayer:
Lord, I belong to you because you created me, and you saved me with the price of your own blood. Thank you! Amen.

[Jesus said] “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 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. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.”
John 10:11-13

The Good Shepherd Cares

There is pride in ownership. When someone rents a house, they might not care as much about the day-to-day upkeep. Some tenants don’t treat it like their own because it’s not. When you buy the house, and it’s yours, the pride of ownership brings a whole new level of care and upkeep. An hourly employee may put in a good, honest day’s work, but at the end of the shift, he punches the clock and goes home. However, the owner stays late to do what it takes and makes sacrifices for the company because it’s his.

In our Bible reading for today, Jesus makes the point that a shepherd who owns a flock of sheep cares for them in a way a hired hand does not. He cares for them because they are his. He will care for and protect them at any cost.

Jesus is our Good Shepherd. Unlike a hired hand, he does what it takes and makes the ultimate sacrifice because we are his. Jesus is not simply another human sent by God to serve on God’s behalf. He is true God from eternity and the God who made us and who came to save us. Jesus cares for you and laid down his life for you. He takes pride in you because you belong to him for time and for eternity. Your Good Shepherd cares!

Prayer:
Lord, shepherd me through life ever closer to your tender, loving care. Amen.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. . . I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.”
John 10:11,14

Too Good To Be True?

Almost daily, some advertisements make incredible claims: “This is the best product on the market.” “This is the most effective product.” “There is nothing that can compare with this.” These are just a few of the claims. Then, the offer becomes even more enticing: “Double the amount at an incredible savings.” Finally, there is the clincher: “A one-hundred percent money-back guarantee.” Almost immediately the thought ignites: “This is too good to be true.”

Too good to be true is often a reliable axiom. But not when it comes to the claims made by Jesus. In a very precious and picturesque way, Jesus proclaims, “I am the Good Shepherd.” What makes this claim believable is how he backs it up. Jesus gives more than a money-back guarantee. He even offers more than double the regular amount. He provides solid and unmistakable proof.

Just think about the claim Jesus makes as the Good Shepherd. When rejected because of failure and disappointment, the Good Shepherd calls us his own. When cries for help go unanswered, the Good Shepherd responds in the best way possible.

It almost sounds too good to be true. But it is true! Assurance comes from what Jesus did and what he does daily. His obedient life, his willing death on the cross, his precious shed blood, his victorious resurrection—here is indisputable evidence. Our Savior-Shepherd will always be there. He even gives his word: “I know you.”

Although this may sound too good to be true, it is the good news Jesus established through his innocent suffering and death. Jesus is our Good Shepherd. He knows us, and he loves us!

Prayer:
O precious Savior, because you gave your life for me, I am now your lamb. Be with me. Keep me safe in every danger. Guide me and give me peace in knowing, I am your sheep, and you are my Shepherd. Amen!

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 2:1,2

You Have an Advocate

A criminal defense attorney said the most frequent question he is asked is: “Why do you defend people you know are guilty?” Normally he responds that he doesn’t consider himself to be a successful attorney only if his client never sees the inside of a prison. He admitted that most of his clients are guilty of something. “However,” he went onto say “not every person charged with a crime is treated fairly.” Under the law, even criminals have rights—rights that are sometimes violated or ignored. The attorney said his goal is to make sure every person is treated fairly under the law. That way, he can be successful whether his client is found to be innocent or guilty.

The Bible describes Jesus as an advocate—someone who, like a lawyer, comes to the defense of someone. And the Bible says that those whom Jesus chooses to defend are those who sin. In other words, he chooses to defend us—individuals who are most certainly guilty of pride, hate, arrogance, greed, and any number of other sins.

But he not only defends us, knowing we are guilty of sin. He also did something even the very best criminal defense attorney wouldn’t. He volunteered to take our punishment. Not by sitting in a prison. But by offering himself as a sacrifice for our sins on a cross.

And the reason he did that is to give you rights. Because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you have the God-given right to walk through life knowing you are forgiven. You have the right to be released from the heavy burden of guilt you’ve been carrying. You have the right to know that God loves you, no matter how you have sinned. You have the right to know that you will always have an advocate who will come to your defense and always win.

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for being my advocate. Amen.