The Shepherd of the Sheep
DAY 62 WRITTEN BY: AMANDA WHITE-
Hebrews 13:20-21
Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus - the great Shepherd of the sheep - through the blood of the everlasting covenant, equip you with everything good to do His will, working in us what is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
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The author of Hebrews paints a beautiful picture here at the end of his letter - Jesus as our great Shepherd. He expresses confidence in Jesus to lead and equip His sheep to do God’s will, be pleasing to Him, and glorify Him. This confidence is based on the death and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus is the good Shepherd who laid down His life for the sheep (John 10:14-15). Through the shedding of the blood of Jesus, we have forgiveness of sins under the everlasting (new) covenant. Jesus extends this free gift of salvation to all people, and everyone who accepts this gift is a sheep in the great Shepherd’s fold.
Jesus, as our great Shepherd, works in us what is pleasing in His sight. As His sheep, we are dependent on Him to work in us faith as He equips us with everything good to do His will. This is a promise of His strength to do all He calls us to, and faith to persevere to the end. It’s a promise of His protection, care, provision, guidance as we follow the great Shepherd’s voice.
Sheep are needy, dependent, vulnerable creatures with a tendency to wonder. They have to have a shepherd in order to be led anywhere. And they have to have a good shepherd who will lead them in the way that’s best for them. God intends for us to remain like needy sheep, fully dependent on the great Shepherd. It’s easy for us to become self-sufficient, less needy sheep who rely on outside sources to lead us. But why does God intend for us to remain like sheep? For His glory. And He is deserving of all the glory forever and ever.
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Heavenly Father, you are worthy of all glory and honor and praise. Thank you for Jesus, my great Shepherd, who lovingly leads, protects, provides, and cares for me and equips me to do everything good. Help me to remain a needy sheep, fully dependent on the great Shepherd.
