email : Webview : Duane Brooks - Every Day with Jesus

November 15, 2018

John 10:27-30

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

New International Version (NIV)

                 A well-known cow expert and scientist once told me that cows only remember people for 60 days. After spending nearly two years with Maylee, this was a bit upsetting to us.   If one feeds a cow for two years, the cow should remember that person for life, in my opinion. Sheep and goats are another matter, I suppose. I once knew a goat named Jimmy. He was the chapter goat, a sort of insurance policy animal in case one of the FFA kids’ kid died, so to speak. Jimmy was only with us a short while, but he yelled a lot. I tried to appease him with extra food to calm him down. I think he knew me.

                The religious leaders of Jesus’ day definitely did not recognize the one who came to his own. The Messiah arrived but so many people rejected him. You would think millennia of caring for a people would mean that they knew him when he came. Not so. Instead, they asked Jesus lots of questions. Jesus said to them, “You are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice. I know them and they follow me.”

                In hindsight, Jimmy was a goat with no master. If everyone in the chapter is taking care of you, maybe nobody is fully responsible. Maybe he hollered a lot because he was an orphan goat in search of a master. Could this be why we are grumpy curmudgeons? Some of our anxiety and anger comes from our need to be loved and owned by someone. Jesus invites us to be the sheep of his own fold. Let’s follow him and trust him to keep us safe. Over time, we will come to know his voice. He said, “I will not leave you as orphans but I will come to you.” Someday Jesus will return for us. Will we know him? We will!

Pray with me:

Father, we thank you for including us in your fold. We wait every day for you. We cry out to you. Help us to listen closely to your voice and to follow you. We thank you for our security in you and your Son. Keep us safe in the palm of your hands we pray. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

This year we focus our Every Day with Jesus readings on Jesus’ story. With references to Tallowood's Read Through the Bible in 2018 daily reading plan, let's focus our undivided attention on Jesus and follow where he lead. He will not fail. Neither will we!
Joyfully,
Duane

Manage your preferences | Opt out using TrueRemove™
Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.
View this email online.

555 Tallowood Road
Houston, TX | 77024 US

This email was sent to .
To continue receiving our emails, add us to your address book.