“The gatekeeper opens it for [the Shepherd], and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought all his own outside, he goes ahead of them. The sheep follow him because they know his voice.
A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.
I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
John 10:3-4, 10-11 CSB
One way we can tell if we are following Jesus is if He is giving us life in abundance…that doesn’t necessarily mean everything is going perfectly or that we are not experiencing trials, but it does mean that He is with us, and through whatever we face, we see His fingerprints and feel His peace. He knows us intimately, who I am, where I struggle and what my weaknesses are.
That is just as true if we are following a thief or a liar. Death and destruction abound. Joy is consistently stolen. We are facing trials, with no peace, full of fear and confusion. Every step seems to be trudging uphill through calf-deep mud sucking away our hope and energy.
Lord, I want to follow You! Remove the blinders when I am following the thief…let me hear Your voice and follow You!
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