Like many, I love the statement “the thief comes to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full” (Jn 10:10). I love all that it stands for and represents in our journeys with God.
You may notice from the last blog, that this is during the same illustration that JC is using about the sheep. About us listening out for and following his voice.
He has come to bring His sheep life! (and I heard a loud baa! – sorry, couldn’t resist)
He has come to lead us from a place of restriction to a place of freedom.
But what happens when that freedom gets challenged?
Something happens in our world that causes that restrictive, cramping feeling.
Well – v11 goes from there to talk about how He’s the good shepherd. He compares a good shepherd to a hired hand – someone who’s paid to do the job, but doesn’t own or really care about the thing that he’s looking after – sheep in this case. It tells us, “…so when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away” (v12).
Jesus is making the point – I’m not like that, I’m the good shepherd. So when the wolf comes, He sticks around to fight on behalf of the sheep, to protect them, to lay down His life for them.
When restriction comes into my world, I need to remember that He wants to stay and fight on my behalf. When the enemy comes to plant the seeds of negativity, of a lack of faith, of the thoughts that lead to retreating and pulling back – the good shepherd sticks around to fight on my behalf.
I’ve got to remember that he’s there and that He has ownership of me. I’m not a commodity, or something that He’s simply looking after for a bit, then will cast aside or sell off – He has ownership and responsibility over me and therefore has vested interest in me.
My tendency and perhaps yours too, may be to disengage with him in that challenge. But actually, He wants us to engage even more, as we lean on Him to help win the battle over the pesky little wolf.
In the battle – He stays to protect. To lead us towards life in abundance.
