Jesus, where You lead, may I go;
You know my name;
You remind me…I am Yours!
Focus of the month: Promises, Promises
What kind of animal would you choose to be if you could choose any one you wanted? I asked this question to my childhood friends and their answers would always be different. But my answer was always the same. A horse. No doubt about it. Horses were the best! They were magnificent creatures. Gentle but strong and so loyal. I could never understand why anyone would pick a different animal.
Until, I met Jesus.
I realize that is an odd thing to say, but stay with me. My road to meeting Jesus was a curvy one. It was laced with lots of crazy mistakes, off – road excursions if you will, unfortunate choices and well just plain denial that I needed more in my life than simply going to church on Sunday. I never saw Him coming for me…but He did. I remember vividly fighting it. I didn’t want to be a Jesus girl. They were weird and in my opinion were no fun at all. But I was lost and He found me. And when He did it gave real meaning to being taken out of the darkness and brought into the light. And so it began.
His loving care was just what I needed; he restored me and made me a new creation!
I have followed Him, although not perfectly, ever since. I read in Scripture that Jesus calls himself “The Good Shepherd” or “Shepherd” more than a few times. We are called His sheep. (I kind of wish He were the “Cowboy” so I could be the horse…but it didn’t work out that way.)
You see He calls himself a Shepherd for a reason. A shepherd keeps watch over his flock, protects them from harm, leads them to meadows for grazing and always comes to retrieve the sheep that stray. Have you strayed lately? Rest assured He’s coming for you.
Jehovah- Raah — The LORD is my Shepherd
Take a moment to bask in the following Scriptures with me:
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.” Psalm 23:1-3 (NASB)
“For thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out.” Ezekiel 34:11 (NASB)
“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.” John 10:11-15 (NASB)
If you ask me today what kind of animal I want to be…the answer is now a sheep. The benefits are amazing and the company is incredible! Jesus laid down His life for me. He saved me from myself. I choose to stay close to Him, to follow Him to safety and to rest in His arms. And on that chance that I wander a little too far from the path He has set for me, He will come for me and I will rejoice in that!
Holding Fast to Hope,
Jen
Scripture References: John 10:10-16; Ezekiel 34:11; Psalm 23; Psalm 100:3
