The Lord is my shepherd…
Why does the Good Shepherd do what He does? Why does He keep on dealing with obstinate sheep like us? Why does He continue to pursue sheep that prefer to wander in their own direction?
The answer is quite simple…love.
The Shepherd loves His sheep.
We spend so much time searching for love. Unfortunately, too often we end up settling for a knock off version true love, a cheap imitation of the real thing. It’s like the $10 brand name sunglasses sold on the street corners of NYC. It looks real enough, but never holds up to much wear.
We want to be accepted. We want to be loved unconditionally. But, that type of love is hard to find. The love we see naturally in the world around us comes with a “what have you done for me lately” tag on it. We keep searching for that love that will satisfy and bring fulfillment, but all we find is love that is self-serving, and selfish.
Is it any wonder that the journey to find love leaves so many heartbroken and disappointed?
There is a love that is real and it seeks to be found. It’s a love that is the very opposite of self-serving, it’s sacrificial. There’s a love that isn’t contingent on what we bring to the table and we don’t earn it by being awesome. It is freely available but found only in one place.
I love going to New York City. I may be a small town guy, but there is something about that city that captures me. The sights, the sounds all pull me in. One of my favorite places to go in New York City is the Empire State Building. Recently having undergone an extensive upgrade, the experience of traveling to the observation deck and looking out over the city is a highlight every time. I travel from time to time. When I’m in New Orleans I can look for that observation deck, but I am not going to find it there. If I head over to Orlando, I can see the Mouse but I’m not going to find the Empire State Building. There is only one place to get the view from the Empire State Building and that is in New York City. Why travel to Boston, Chicago, Dallas, or Memphis to look for something that I know is only on found at 350 5th Avenue, New York, New York? It would be silly to look for something where you know it can’t be found.
Real love is found only in one place. We find it in the Good Shepherd. The Shepherd loves His sheep. How do we know? Jesus says so. He says the shepherd (who He said He was) lays down His life for His sheep. Now let’s look at the big picture here. Jesus will say just a few chapters over in chapter 15 that there is no greater love than one laying down his life for his friends. And that is exactly what Jesus will do! He sacrifices His very life for His friends, and He says we are His friends.
Think about two verses that you may already know. John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” Romans 5:8 says it this way, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
God’s love for us is written in blood red letters. We were sheep that wandered astray, and the Shepherd laid down His life for us. He loved us so much that He was willing to give His own life so that we might live. The Good Shepherd laid down His life for His sheep…He laid down His life for you. Why? Because He loves you that much.
You’ll always be tempted to chase after a love that never satisfies. You can pursue all the relationships and pleasures this world offers and yet never be fulfilled. We always seemed to be easily fooled by cheap imitations of the real thing. But why keep on searching for it in places it cannot be found? There is an unconditional and sacrificial love that calls out to you today. It is in the arms of the Good Shepherd.
I love what Isaiah says in Isaiah 40:11, “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.”
What a great picture. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, carrying you, His sheep, close to His heart. It’s an amazing image of the care and love of the shepherd for his sheep. I hope you enjoy the care that He desires to provide you.
The Lord is my shepherd…
Questions for Today:
- What are some places you have looked to find love?
- How has that search left you feeling?
- What is a way that you have seen God’s unconditional love toward you?
- How does it make you feel to consider that God loves you as much when you are at your worst as He does when you are at your best?
- What will it take to stop chasing the imitations and run to the true love expressed by the Good Shepherd?
Prayer for Today:
Thank You, Lord for loving me. Thank you for never giving up on me. Thank you for dying for me. I didn’t earn it or deserve it, but you freely gave Your life for me. May I live today in appreciation for the sacrifice given on my behalf. Help me love others in a manner that reflects your love toward me.
Amen.
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