Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Sheltered by the Good Shepherd
An excerpt from John 10:27-28
Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.”
Reflection from Annette Johnston, Trinity: This saying comes from Jesus in the temple at Jerusalem, after the officials there ask him if he is the Messiah. He tells them that they have not been listening.
Sheep are often pretty dumb, and their actions are often ruled by fear. Because they know they will be safe, they always follow and listen to the Shepherd. So the key seems to be how not to be a dumb sheep that follows the wrong shepherd. Jesus offers a clue: listen, and develop a relationship. Only someone you know will have credibility to say what to do next – like the advice from a trusted friend. This is different from taking advice from a well-known authority.
Daily prayer is not just to ask for forgiveness and maybe some other stuff in a long litany: it is also to ask what to do next. After clearing the past with forgiveness, then it is important to spend time listening for what to do next. The answer comes without real sound – more like a safe surety from a “still, small voice.”
Stained glass window at Trinity, Highland Park.
ADDITIONAL READINGS:
For further study and prayer, the readings assigned for today are:
• Psalm 87
• Acts 11:19–26
• John 10:22–30
MUSIC:
“All We Like Sheep”
from Handel’s Messiah
Note: It is often said that Handel must have been familiar with sheep, as he wrote the vocal lines of this piece in a way that perfectly mimic the meandering routes to which sheep are prone when left to their own devices.
Tags: Easter to Pentecost 2024