“I am the Good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine” (John 10:14).

I want to make a statement to you that will sound absolutely brilliant. Are you hanging on? Maybe you better sit down. This is a statement that could easily startle you to the point of tipping over and injuring yourself. Okay, are you ready for this brilliant statement? Fine! Here it comes. Sheep surely smell like sheep, and they constantly get into trouble. I guess it wasn’t such an earth-shaking announcement after all, was it? When I was a young boy I can remember visiting my cousin on his family farm. His dad raised several sheep. They had a smell very peculiar to them as sheep. Let me testify that those sheep could get into trouble quickly and easily! Once my uncle sent my cousin and me down into the field to bring the sheep back up toward the barn. I thought this would be an easy task. My cousin and I pushed and pulled them. We tried to bribe them as if we had something to eat in our pockets. We shouted at them; we waved our arms at them; we ran into them trying to get them to move. All they would do is run around in circles. I can still hear my uncle laughing as he came walking down the path. “Boys, boys, what in the world are you doing?” Uncle Ed said as he nearly held his sides in laughter. “Here’s how to bring those lambs back up to the barn, boys. You be very quiet now and just watch,” he told us. Then the most amazing thing I have ever seen happened. I have never forgotten it. Uncle Ed simply walked out into the sheep and stood still for a moment after my cousin and I had them thoroughly frightened. Then he softly started talking and slowly walked toward the barn. Those sheep recognized my uncle Ed and responded to his voice. Every single one of them started moving with him, and together they walked up the lane and into the barn. You know, friend, there are a lot of voices out in the world, and many of them can really alarm us. Isn’t it wonderful to know that we have the Good Shepherd Who knows us and we know Him?  We follow Him by reading and applying the Word of God.

For today: I am so thankful that the Lord Jesus knows His sheep and that His sheep truly follow Him