Day 9. Following Jesus
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"The sheep listen to His voice. He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. When He has brought out all his own, He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice!" John 10:3-4
The shepherd does not drive his sheep — but leads them wherever he wants to take them. At night he leads them into the fold for safety. In the morning he leads them out to pasture. Just so, Christ never drives His people; He goes on ahead of them and leads them — and they follow Him.
Sheep need to be led. They have no such instinct for finding their own way, as most other animals have. Christ's people are just like them. Sheep wander away, and a lost sheep never finds its way back. "All we like sheep have gone astray;" and we never could find the way home again — if the Good Shepherd did not seek us and lead us back.
Christ leads His people gently. He goes on ahead of His sheep. He is very thoughtful for the weak ones. "He gathers the lambs in His arms, and carries them in His bosom." He never leads His sheep too fast. He takes them sometimes over rough and dangerous ways — but He never loses any of them! Not a sheep of Christ's was ever yet lost along the way, under His guidance, even in the most perilous paths.
Christ never lost one of His sheep. He has led millions of His people home over this world's paths — but not one of them ever perished along the way. "Those whom You gave me — I have kept, and not one of them is lost!"
Christ leads His sheep to the green pastures and by the still waters. Sometimes He leads them over deserts, and along thorny paths, and through dark gorges; but He is always just ahead of them; and where He is — they are safe. At the last He leads them through the valley of the shadow of death — into the heavenly fold. There they shall be safe eternally, and be forever blessed in the enjoyment of His love.
"My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish — ever! No one will snatch them out of My hand!" John 10:27-28
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