John 10:1-18

1    I assure you that whoever doesn’t enter into the sheep pen through the gate but climbs over the wall is a thief and an outlaw.  ²  The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.  ³  The guard at the gate opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  ⁴  Whenever he has gathered all of his sheep, he goes before them and they follow him, because they know his voice.  ⁵  They won’t follow a stranger but will run away because they don’t know the stranger’s voice.”  ⁶  Those who heard Jesus use this analogy didn’t understand what he was saying. 

7    So Jesus spoke again, “I assure you that I am the gate of the sheep.  ⁸  All who came before me were thieves and outlaws, but the sheep didn’t listen to them.  ⁹  I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out and find pasture.  ¹⁰  The thief enters only to steal, kill, and destroy. I came so that they could have life—indeed, so that they could live life to the fullest. 

11    “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.  ¹²  When the hired hand sees the wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and runs away. That’s because he isn’t the shepherd; the sheep aren’t really his. So the wolf attacks the sheep and scatters them.  ¹³  He’s only a hired hand and the sheep don’t matter to him. 

14    “I am the good shepherd. I know my own sheep and they know me,  ¹⁵  just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. I give up my life for the sheep.  ¹⁶  I have other sheep that don’t belong to this sheep pen. I must lead them too. They will listen to my voice and there will be one flock, with one shepherd. 

17    “This is why the Father loves me: I give up my life so that I can take it up again.  ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I give it up because I want to. I have the right to give it up, and I have the right to take it up again. I received this commandment from my Father.” 

Listening to God:  I know you through and through, and I want you to know me.  Don’t think of me as a holy concept or force. I am a living person right now.  Talk to me.  Tell me what is on your mind.  I don’t want to be a stranger to you.  Your sin is not a problem with me.  I defeated it on the cross, and my Holy Spirit is in the process of rooting it out and destroying it.  Spending time with me will help that process along.  Give me ten minutes a day, and I will transform you.

Journal or lift up your prayers and reflections to God.

*Our season of prayer guide comes from Joan Gray’s book, Sailboat Church: Helping Your Church Rethink Its Mission and Practice.