Today, He added to that as He showed me Jesus' declaration in John 10, "The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. MY purpose is to give life IN ALL ITS FULLNESS."
Not only does God offer me life, He gives me the absolute best life imaginable. Better than that really, as Paul wrote how God is able to "accomplish INFINITELY MORE than we would ever dare to ask or hope" (Ephesians 3:20).
Well, this morning, as I woke up at 6:34 to Kellah's cries and jumped out of bed, frantic that my daycare kiddos would be arriving in just 26 minutes, I didn't exactly have time to sit down and read my Bible while I sipped my hot cup of coffee. Thankfully, though, both boys came cranky and tired, so I laid them down for an unusual morning nap. Kellah, too, was rubbing her eyes, and went to sleep without a fuss. It's as if God gave me back the time I missed out on this morning, knowing that I would need that moment of quiet with Him in His Word if I am going to "survive" the rest of the day (especially since we have a showing at 1 pm, which means a very late afternoon nap, if one at all!).
I opened my Bible to John 10 and read one of Jesus' famous I AM statements. Here, He announces, "I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep." Just verses later, He reiterates this amazing declaration of love and commitment to those in His flock, "I am the Good Shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know Me, just as My Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep...No one can take My life from Me. I lay down My life voluntarily."
Goes along quite well with what God pressed on my heart yesterday in regards to His love for me that was displayed in Jesus' death on the cross. But, God seemed to want to introduce a new idea: my response to this abundant love.
Jesus goes on with the illustration of the shepherd and his sheep, "the sheep hear his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they recognize his voice."
My "job" as a sheep is to follow my Shepherd. Any time I hear His voice, I need to listen, to respond in obedience to whatever He says.
Earlier this week, God focused my attention on my ability to SEE as He had me read the story of the man who was born blind. And now He's showing me that my EARS might need some fine tuning as well.
I don't want to be like Coralyn who seems to have selective hearing when it comes to listening to me and then doing what I ask or tell her. Just as she is the child and should obey me, the parent, no matter what and without question or resistance, I am the sheep and should obey Jesus, my GOOD Shepherd, no matter what and without question or resistance.
If He calls me, I need to listen. And if He leads, I need to follow, wherever He takes me.
All this talk of sheep and their shepherd made me think of Psalm 23. So, I flipped back in my Bible to this popular poem. I read the words I have memorized since I was Coralyn's age:
The Lord is my Shepherd;
I have EVERYTHING I NEED.
He lets me REST in green meadows;
He leads me beside PEACEFUL streams.
He RENEWS MY STRENGTH.
He GUIDES me along RIGHT PATHS,
BRINGING HONOR TO HIS NAME.
The ideas aren't new to me at all, but they are exactly what I needed to see, to hear, to remember. They go along with all the other lessons God has been teaching me this week.
I have everything I need, so be thankful and praise God for all He has already done. Quit questioning His plans and timing and asking WHY and WHEN and wanting more, and wanting it now.
That leads right into: He lets me REST and how He leads me beside PEACEFUL streams. Enjoy the journey. Take it all in. I am, after all, in the very presence of JESUS for the entire trip!!! And that is certainly the BEST place to be, no matter where I am physically.
Sometimes the journey is tiring. I grow weary and weak. Perfect: He renews my strength! Isaiah 40:31 comes to mind. I wouldn't mind soaring on some eagles' wings right about now :)
But when I am down on the ground, plodding along, climbing hill after rocky hill, and I can't see where I am going, I start to question if this is the best path. I want to look up ahead and know where exactly we are headed and HOW we are going to get there. I begin to wonder if there's a better way, a shorter way, a faster way. God knows my doubts and reminds me yet again: He guides me along right paths. So just keep following Him. He's the Shepherd. I'm just the sheep (who, by the way, is one of the dumbest animals on earth!).
Then, as if to cap it all of, just like the man was born blind so "the power of God could be seen in him," God has a plan and purpose for me and is leading me down this perfect path He has prepared just for me so He can bring honor to His name through my life.
As I think about all of this, a song from Ponca ran through my head. It's a child's song, but so fitting. And you can bet I will be singing it to Coralyn and Kellah today, ALL day.
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