What It Means to Have a Shepherd

What do Abraham, Moses, and King David all have in common? At some point in their lives, they were shepherds. Before these highly respected men became great leaders, they honed some of their management skills in taking care of sheep.

Sheep definitely need a guide. On their own they are easily lost or trapped in difficult situations. They are not good at recognizing and avoiding danger. Yet sheep are smart in one way – they know the voice of their shepherd. They know that in him they will find safety, shelter, and nourishment. In essence, it is a strong trust relationship. Describing us as sheep is very fitting as we too can easily go astray without a guide.

The analogy of a shepherd is used to describe our Heavenly Father. One of the most common places we hear this is in the Shepherd’s Psalm – Psalm 23. Another example is found in Ezekiel:

“As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.” (Ezekiel 34:12 NIV)

We are very blessed to have a God who looks after us. Like a shepherd minding sheep, He is watching always and rescuing His people when they go astray. There is no place we can go where God is not seeking us and sustaining us. God never puts us on ignore. Instead, He actively engages in our lives. Like a good earthly shepherd, our Heavenly Father is vigilant; trying to thwart danger in our lives or help us through tough spots that we cannot avoid.

My favourite shepherd analogy in Scripture is the picture we get of Jesus being the Good Shepherd. I find paintings of Jesus holding a lamb to be very comforting. I can picture myself as that little sheep, safe in His arms, always. It is an image I hold onto when life gets rough.

In John chapter 10, Jesus specifically refers to Himself as the Good Shepherd. With the background of Moses, Abraham, and David, the Israelites would have looked at this analogy as a positive thing. Jesus is unequivocal in His words, clearly defining His purpose on earth. To the astonishment of some around Him, Jesus states in this chapter not only that He is the Good Shepherd, but that the Good Shepherd lays down His life for His sheep. This amazing sacrifice is very reassuring. I come back to this chapter again and again when I need solace and assurance.

What I find comforting in this chapter is how Jesus emphasizes that He has come to give us life – a full, rich life as well as eternal life. It is very consoling to know that our Saviour loves us so much and that He knows us very well.

My dear mother departed this world for her heavenly home recently. It has been very comforting for me to envision her being held safe in the arms of Jesus, forever taken care of, forever secure. She believed the words in Scripture that tell us that,

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of My hand. (John 10:27-28 NIV)

In my sorrow I have been able to hold onto God’s Word where Jesus tells us that He knows us and cares for us. I draw consolation knowing that Jesus understands how much my heart hurts right now and that He promises that as a sheep in His fold, I will be with my mother again someday. The reminder to listen to our Saviour’s voice is very pertinent at such a time as this. Often in recent weeks, I have been comforted by our Lord’s promises as outlined in God’s Word. I have confidence and trust in my Good Shepherd, to meet my needs in this challenging time.

We may all draw comfort and consolation from the belief that Jesus, as any shepherd would, will lead us and guide us throughout this life and into eternity. He will never abandon us. We can rejoice in the protection and sustenance that only He can bring.

It has been God’s plan right from the beginning – to send us the Good Shepherd to save us. What amazing news!

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