Topic: How Jesus Treats His Sheep [RICK WARREN Devotional 27 JANUARY   2023]

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How Jesus Treats His Sheep

BY RICK WARREN — JANUARY 27, 2023
FROM LIVING IN THE GOODNESS OF GOD

“When he has led out all of his sheep, he walks in front of them, and they follow, because they know his voice.”

John 10:4 (CEV)

Yesterday we looked at how the goodness of God directs and protects you. Today we’ll look at three more benefits of God’s goodness: how he guides, guards, and saves you through Jesus, the Good Shepherd.

God guides you. When you get confused or wander away, Jesus will find you and bring you back. Much like sheep, we tend to wander—and we get lost. So God sent Jesus on a search and rescue mission to save us, “to seek and save those who are lost” (Luke 19:10 NLT).

Why? Because every single one of us matters to him.

When God brings you back from wandering away from him, he will not punish you, but he may discipline you. Like a shepherd that wraps the legs of a sheep that is prone to wander, God may give you a limp to keep you from wandering.

God guards you. If you fail or fall, Jesus rescues you and sets you on the road to recovery.
We not only wander, but, just like sheep, we also stumble and fall. The good news is that you can run to Jesus every time you mess up and expect him to rescue and restore you. 

Jesus said, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep!” (Matthew 12:11-12 NIV) If it’s common sense to rescue an animal that stumbles, won’t God act the same way toward you when you stumble?

God saves you. If you trust him to save you, Jesus will keep his promise to do just that.
It’s not your job to save yourself. Your job is simply to put your hand in God’s and say, “I’m all yours—the good, the bad, and the ugly.” God loves you too much to ever let you go.

Jesus said it like this: “My Father gave my sheep to me. He is greater than all, and no person can steal my sheep out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:29 NCV).

When you trust in Jesus as your Savior, you’re no longer on your own. When you feel lost, confused, or like you’ve fallen into a pit, you can trust that the Good Shepherd is always there for you. He will guide you, guard you, and save you.

Talk It Over

• When has God brought you back from wandering away from him? How have you experienced his discipline to keep you from wandering in that same way again?
• When did God rescue you from a bad situation? In what ways did your faith change through that experience?
• God promises never to leave you and to always come after you. How does that knowledge influence how you make decisions?

You can live in God’s goodness every day.

If you want the security of God’s unwavering love and unbreakable promises, start by placing yourself under the Good Shepherd’s care.

You can start by praying this simple prayer: “Dear God, I know I’m a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe Jesus Christ is your Son. I believe he died for my sin and that you raised him to life. I want to trust him as my Savior and follow him as Lord. Jesus, please come into my life and change my priorities, my values, my purpose, and my direction. Transform me into the person you want me to be. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

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