The Good Shepherd Knows His Sheep – April 26, 2021

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.”
John 10:14

The Good Shepherd Knows His Sheep

Who knows you better than anyone else? That one person who knows you inside and out. They know where you’ve been in the past and where you want to be in the future. They know what brings a smile to your face or a tear to your eye. They know the things that make you angry and the things that you fear the most. They know how you think and how you make decisions. They know just what makes you…you.

But they don’t know you completely, do they? They only know what you let them see or know. Maybe no one knows you better than you. Well, almost no one.

Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep.” The sheep he is talking about aren’t literal sheep. The sheep are people—you and me.

Jesus knows you. This is not just knowing the facts about you. It’s a much more personal and intimate knowledge. It’s like how a parent knows his child or a husband knows his wife, but even deeper. Jesus knows your past, present, and future. He knows your joys and sorrows, your thoughts, and emotions. He knows you right down to the core of your soul.

That means he also knows all your sins—every selfish thought, every hurtful word, every loveless action. He knows how desperately you need a solution to your sin and rescue from the hell you deserve, even if you don’t fully grasp or acknowledge that desperate need.

He knows those sins because he paid for every one of them when he laid down his life for you. In undeserved, self-sacrificing love, he knew you were powerless to save yourself. And so he gave up his own life in your place. He took all your sins on himself and willingly gave up his innocent life in exchange for the guilt of your sins when he died on a cross.

Yes, Jesus, your Good Shepherd, knows you, and he loves you. His death proves it. What a blessing to know that the Shepherd who loves us that much knows us and our needs!

Prayer:
Jesus, my Good Shepherd, nothing in my life is hidden from you. Remind me of your undying love for me every day. Amen.