Jesus calls himself the good shepherd, who not only leaves the ninety-nine to go after the one lost sheep, as we learn about elsewhere, but also lays down his life for the sheep. There’s no way to truly plumb the depths of this great metaphor. Today especially, I just want to rest in the truth that he’s GOOD. He leads. He knows me, and I know his voice, too. Sometimes I stray, like a wandering sheep, but “in tenderness” he brings me back to his fold again, as one of my favorite hymns says. This is what shepherds do, and he’s the greatest of them, perfectly suited for sinners.
“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”
Whenever I consider the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints, I often focus on my own strength, my holding fast to Jesus. And there’s truth to that. But here, thankfully, I’m reminded of the reverse — that Jesus holds me fast. He’s not letting go, even when I stumble. He will always bring me back to the fold. Thank you, Lord.
