Tag: Gate

Our Shepherd, Jehovah Raah

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This name for God, Jehovah Raah, The Lord is my Shepherd is a bit different from God is the Good Shepherd. There the emphasis is on the goodness of God and His role as shepherd in our lives. The Lord is my Shepherd involves a declaration by the Sayer, that God is the Lord and Shepherd of their life.

We see this used by David in Psalm 23 as he declares that God is his shepherd. In this beloved psalm, David tells us of the qualities of his Lord and how He shepherds his life as no one else can.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2     He makes me lie down in green pastures. God provides and guides David.
He leads me beside still waters.
3     He restores my soul. God restores.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me; God protects and comforts, even in the scariest of times.
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies; God is with him and watches over him.
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever. God blesses now and into eternity.

David, the shepherd boy who became king, remembered how he cared for his sheep and sees that quality of care and tenderness, protection and comfort in His God. David realizes that God is his protector and blesses him now and into eternity.

Jesus also spoke of himself as the good shepherd and as He is also Lord and Savior, He fits this description too. In John 10 Jesus describes his role as shepherd and Lord. He speaks of himself as the gatekeeper in John 10:3 and the door in John 10:9 which are both images of protection and care. In verse 11, He speaks of being the one who will lay his life down for his sheep, “ I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” His precious promise in John 10:28-29 could only be made by the Lord himself, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can know the Lord Jesus as my shepherd and entrust my life now and in the future to Him! Thank you Jesus!

Linda

I AM…the door of the sheep

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John-10-9Many translations use the word gate instead of door, but the sheep pen used by shepherds was a rock enclosure with only 1 gate or door into the pen.  They would sleep at the door preventing anyone or thing from entering and harming their sheep.  This is a wonderful picture of Jesus as our protector or guardian of our safety.  One we are in his ‘pen’ no one or nothing can ever take us away from Him.

Jesus adds to this idea of guardian by saying He is the door.  John 10:7 -9 “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.”   When we accept Jesus into our life we have entered by the door- the only door to salvation.  Act 4:12 confirms this truth, “12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”  Many might say there are many ways to be saved, many doors or gates but Jesus is emphatic that He is the only true door to salvation.  He warns that others -thieves and robbers have or will come, but He admonishes us to not listen to their lies and depend upon Him for salvation.

Why choose Jesus?  His door leads to love, compassion, freedom from sin, an inheritance sealed with by the Holy Spirit, life eternal, …. the benefits are many for those that choose to enter into a relationship with Jesus.  He is the only one who can redeem us romans 5 9from our sin-filled state of being, Romans 5:8-9  “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.”  Meditate upon His goodness and love for you today and His mercy in loving you even when you still in sin- He sent Jesus to redeem you!  Praise God! 

Linda