The Lord is my shepherd…
Everyone has secrets, things that no one else knows. At least they think they do.
I remember years ago, late one Saturday night, I ran a stop sign that was located in front of my high school. I knew I should have stopped, but nobody was around, I was in a hurry, and it who’d notice anyway?
I hadn’t gotten even a mile down the road when I saw some headlights coming fast behind me. I remember thinking, “man, they sure are in a hurry. They’d better be careful not to get a ticket!”
And that’s when the blue lights came on. They were in a hurry all right. They were in fast pursuit of a knucklehead who thought nobody would notice a car running a stop sign late at night.
Thankfully, the officer was kind enough to let me off with just a warning. No one saw me pulled over, no ticket, and no chance that my parents would ever find out. I was feeling pretty good. Dodged that bullet.
That all changed at church the next morning. I struck up a conversation with a close friend of my parents. She seemed to have a strange interest in the events of my Saturday night. Curious questions about whether I had any unusual adventures the night before. Then it hit me…she was a 911 dispatcher. When the officer had taken my license to run it, she had heard my name over the radio!
Busted.
Not so secret anymore.
It’s nice to think that there are parts of our lives that only we know about. However, the reality is that we are known more than we think. I’m not naive enough to believe that I know everything my kids, my friends, or others do. But I am also smart enough to know that even though I may not know every detail of their lives, there is One who does. Nothing is ever really hidden.
The important thing we need to remember is this: The Lord is our shepherd. We are His sheep. The Shepherd knows His sheep.
Jesus, fully aware of Psalm 23, takes up the imagery of the Lord as the shepherd. In John 10 Jesus identifies Himself as the Good Shepherd, inserting Himself into the picture described in the Psalm. As Jesus talks, He reminds those listening about a important aspect of shepherding life, shepherds know their sheep. Jesus says in verse 3 that good shepherds know their sheep so well that they can call the sheep out by name. Out of all the sheep, the shepherd knows which is which. In verse 14, Jesus says, “I am the Good Shepherd, and I know my own…” Jesus knows His sheep.
Throughout Jesus’ ministry, it was clear that He knew people. Before they would ever speak, scripture reveals that Jesus was aware of what they were thinking, what was in their heart, what kind of life they were living. In a broad sense, Jesus had people figured out, better than they had themselves figured out. But consider for a moment the depth of what Jesus knows about you. As God eternal, Jesus has considerable insight into your life. Read Psalm 139 and brace yourself. He knows when you get up and when you go to bed and He knows everything that you do in-between. He knows your thoughts and motivations. He knows the words you speak, before they ever even come out your mouth. He knows where you’ve been, where you are, and where you’re going. You can’t run from Him and no where can hide you from Him. He sees the end of your journey just as clearly as He sees the beginning. He knows you…completely. No secrets, nothing hidden, nothing in your life unknown.
Now that should partly terrify you. Right? He knows everything. There are some things that we wish He hadn’t seen or didn’t know. Let’s be real. Not every action we engage in is honorable. Not every thought is pure. Not every motivation is clean. Not every word is suitable for company. Being aware that He sees and knows it all can bring with it a bit of fear and trembling, and rightly so. However, there is so much more than that.
We try to hide those less than pleasant areas of our life. We hide out in the shadows hoping He won’t see, or we try to run from Him, afraid of what would happen if He really knew the true us. But He already knows. He always has. He knows you. And He still wants to shepherd you. He knows what you struggle with. He knows what your strengths and weaknesses are. He knows your circumstances, your opportunities, your limitations. He knows what you’re passionate about, and He knows what tempts to wander. He understands better than anyone what makes you tick. He knows everything about you.
The Good Shepherd is calling the name of His sheep. He knows what they need because He knows them. He desires to lead them toward exactly what they need. Blessing. Joy. Growth. Satisfaction. After all, He says in verse 10 that He came so that His sheep might have life to the fullest! He is calling them by name, leading them to where they need to go.
He’s calling your name. He knows what makes you tick and what will bring you life.
Hear Him call.
Follow the shepherd who knows you.
Questions for Today:
- When you think of what Jesus knows about you, how does that make you feel?
- What are some things you are glad He knows?
- What are some things you wish He didn’t know?
- How would your life be different if you lived in the realization that Jesus is fully aware of every aspect of your life?
- How does His knowledge of you affect how He is able to lead you to what you really need?
Prayer for Today:
Thank you, Lord for Your complete awareness of my life. You created me, you know me, and you love me. Let me rest in the assurance of both your infinite knowledge of my life and your unceasing care over my life. Thank you for offering grace and forgiveness when I stumble, patience as I often wander, and compassion when I refuse to listen to your voice as I should. Help me hear the voice of my Shepherd and follow His voice today.
Amen.
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