He Keeps Us Safe
ICS Daily Devotions
John 10:11-15 (NKJV) “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 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.
In this passage, Jesus differentiates between the good shepherd and the hireling. The hireling takes it as a job and puts his own safety before the sheep’s; he has no hesitation running for his own life when danger looms. We frequently see such leadership in the marketplace, where leaders prioritise protecting their own interests before the team members’, just like the hirelings will not sacrifice their lives to protect the sheep.
In contrast, the good shepherd who owns the sheep will ensure that none of his sheep are hurt. He is willing to lay down his life for the sheep and fight off predators to ensure that the ninety-nine are in good hands before He looks for the lost one. While Jesus is the Chief Shepherd, the local pastors are the under-shepherds He appoints to shepherd the local churches—the sheepfolds assigned to them.
We live in a fallen world, and believers and unbelievers will all suffer. However, Jesus laid down His life for us on the cross of Calvary. The Word of God helps us know that He is good. His love brings comfort, peace, and warmth, even though we may not understand why certain things happen. Therefore, knowing His goodness helps us to rest in His love and trust His heart in the midst of suffering.
Unfortunately, like sheep, we tend to wander and stray from the pack. When all is well, we don’t feel the need for God, so we neglect to cultivate a close relationship with Him. Consequently, when we encounter difficulties, we feel weak and lonely, overwhelmed by anxiety, because we have forgotten to journey with the Lord during good times.
Attacks will come against us, whether from demons or humans, as demons can also influence people to cause us harm. It says in 1 Peter 5:8, “the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour”. Likewise, the opening Scripture mentions that the wolf comes for the sheep. Therefore, we need to stay close to the Good Shepherd so that He can protect us. The shepherd knows every sheep and will go before them to lead them. The sheep will respond to his voice. Similarly, we will be familiar with His voice because we are His sheep. There is safety when the shepherd leads us. It says in John 10:10 that the thief will kill, steal, and destroy, whereas God wants us to have an abundant life.
Sermon Series: One Soul for Christ
