Sheep.

This past Tuesday night I began a new Bible study.  It's one of Anne Graham Lotz's called Pursuing More of Jesus.  I don't know about you, but I totally want me some more Jesus!  Anne points out that it's not necessarily the most important thing to "get through" tons of scripture when spending time in the word, but really understanding what God is saying through His word.  Therefore, she has us break things down verse by verse, write down quite plainly what the verse is saying, ask what sort of lesson God is trying to convey through that verse, and then ask ourselves what lesson we can take away from it.  My verses for tonight came from John 10, where Jesus talks about the shepherd and his flock. I love that he compares us to sheep.  Unfortunately sheep are sometimes thought of as extremely unintelligent, however this is untrue. Studies have shown they are closer to pigs on the I.Q. scale.  So I do not believe Jesus thinks we are dumb.  He does know we need Him to lead us.  One remarkable fact about sheep is their ability to remember and recall human voices.  They know the voice of their shepherd. John 10:4 says that He calls us by name (love it!), leads us out, and goes ahead of us.  For me, God going ahead of me is reassuring.  He has a plan and a specific path for my life, if I only follow His voice. For me this means spending more time in His word and in prayer with Him. Jesus later says that He is the gate for the sheep and that if we enter through Him we will be saved.  I love that He cares for us, wants to save us, wants good things for us.  In a previous Bible study I did that involved the Old and New Testaments, God said that He writes our names on His palms. He has so many sheep but knows each of us, better than we could ever know ourselves; and He loves us despite so many things, wants to bless us and give us hope and a future.  This just warms my heart.  And it's only the beginning of the study.  I am loving learning more about my savior and am proud to be one of His "sheep."


What sorts of experiences have you had when listening for and following His voice?  How do you feel knowing you have a shepherd who cares for you?  


Have a gorgeous, blessed weekend!

Robyn