¹“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. ² But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. ³ To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. ⁵ A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” ⁶ This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

⁷ So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. ⁸ All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.⁹ I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. ¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. ¹¹ I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹² He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. ¹³ He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. ¹⁴ I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Meditation

1. Silence – Read/Listen – Meditate – Pray – Contemplate
2. Jesus uses the scene of a shepherd enclosing his sheep in a sheepfold to explain our salvation and security in Christ.  If you’ve ever doubted the love of Christ, read these words of Jesus aloud slowly as if he were explaining this to you personally.  Notice that the repeated word know.  Jesus knows his sheep; they know Jesus.  The Father knows Jesus; Jesus knows the Father.
3. What usually prompts you to have doubts about your salvation or your walk with Christ? —Your own sin? Feelings of unworthiness? Personal failures? Talk honestly with Christ about your doubts.

Suggestion for Family Devotional Time: Watch this clip www.youtube.com/watch?v=Coq_grSFlNs  and talk about how sheep respond to shepherd’s calling.  Read today’s passage and discuss how each person can respond to Jesus as the sheep do to the shepherd.

Prayer & Journaling:  On your prayer journal, as you listen to God, write down a few thoughts, questions, words, names, drawings, or anything that has come to your mind during this time.

Proverbs for Today 10:22-25

²² The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and he adds no sorrow with it.  ²³ Doing wrong is like a joke to a fool, but wisdom is pleasure to a man of understanding.  ²⁴ What the wicked dreads will come upon him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted.  ²⁵ When the tempest passes, the wicked is no more, but the righteous is established forever.