Know the Good Shepherd

There is a large field of sheep just outside our sitting room window and we sometimes see them all running together in one direction. This is usually because the farmer has come with some food for them. He whistles and they all come running. They recognise his quad bike too, so that when he rides up, sometimes with his sheepdog sitting precariously on the back of the bike, they know exactly what’s happening. However, when I take walk through the fields they usually run in the opposite direction!

There are often sheep put to graze on areas of open moor land. Generations of the flock will have been on that same patch so they know not to stray too far, but these sheep are often vulnerable to rustling. One or two may be attracted by the call of a false shepherd, the others follow and as a result large flocks can be stolen.

There are many alien voices in our world which, like wolves, are intent on destroying the flock of God. It’s easy for us to be distracted by false shepherds and be lured into temptation. Jesus wants His ‘sheep’ to know Him and recognise His voice. We need to practise listening to that still, small voice that comes to us in our prayer time, through our Bible reading or through pictures and impressions that He gives us, so that we may stay close and not be led astray by the voice of a false shepherd.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You that You do speak to me. Please help me to hear Your voice clearly and not be distracted by false shepherds however plausible they may seem. Amen.