Focus
Let yourself become open to God and the knowledge that comes from the Word. Ask God for peace at this time.
Read
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care 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. 16 I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”
Reflect
Do you ever feel pushed around? It may be by people at work, people at home, it may be people on the street, or even people in your family or church. We read in many scriptures of Jesus who loves and cares for all people, we even read about that today as Christ describes himself as the good shepherd. However, today let us focus on the Jesus that is not told what to do by others. We are told that the good shepherd will lay down their life for the sheep, but that life is not taken but is given! Christ was not passive in the way that he shared his love with those around him and is not passive in the way his love is shared today. Be confident that you too have a choice to share your love and your life with others. Follow in Christ’s footsteps and freely give of yourself, knowing that you did so on your own accord.
Pray
God, share with me the strength to live as Christ did, making a choice to share my life and love with the world.
Go with God!
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