December 31
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THE GOOD SHEPHERD
A poem by ILMA
Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep
All who came before me were thieves and robbers
Yet, the true sheep, unlike the others, did not listen to them
Yes, I am the gate and those who come in through me will be saved.
The true sheep will come and go freely and will find good pastures
While the thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy
A good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep and does not leave his flock
A hired hand runs when he sees a wolf coming and abandons the herd.
Because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd
And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock
The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money
He couldn’t care less and doesn’t really look after about the sheep.
“I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me
Just as my Father knows me and I know the Father
So, I sacrifice my life for the sheep and I have other sheep, too,
They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.
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MEMORY VERSE
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so, the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock. – John 10:11
Read: John 10:7-14
This chapter of John’s letter gives us an illustration of how Jesus cares for the sheep. He tells his listeners the importance of having a shepherd who cares for his flock and compares it to hired hands, who only does it for money.
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REFLECTION
• Do you recognize the good shepherd from the bad one?
• Why is it important for us Christians to be able to protect ourselves from evil?
Tag Archives: John 10:11
THE GOOD SHEPHERD Poem Devotional
July 9________________________________________
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.
– John 10:11 (NLT)
THE GOOD SHEPHERD
A poem and essay by ILMA
Christ is the good shepherd who loves his herd
He never allows them to be lost or hurt
Jesus sacrificed his life for his sheep
He wants them saved and never drift.
The good shepherd knows each of his flock
He cares for them and watches their back
He will lead them to greener pastures
He will protect and guide them so they’ll be pure.
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The duty of shepherds was to keep their flock intact, protect it from predators and guide it to market areas in time for shearing. In ancient times, shepherds also commonly milked their sheep, and made cheese from this milk; few shepherds still do this today. Unlike farmers, shepherds were often wage earners, being paid to watch the sheep of others. Shepherds were most often the younger sons of farming peasants who did not inherit any land. In other societies, each family would have a family member to shepherd its flock, often a child, youth or an elder who couldn’t help much with harder work.
David was a shepherd and played the harp very well. He won the fight with Goliath and later anointed as king. The bible emphasizes the role of shepherds and how they sacrifice their lives for the flock. Christ sacrificed his life for us, his sheep.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for your sacrifice.
REFLECTION
Relate a time when you sacrificed for someone else’s benefit.
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For more testimonials about God’s word, please go to YouTube and type ILMA’s poem devotional or go to www.ilmaarts.com posts. To receive emails of my poem devotionals, email me at ILMA.ARTS.STUDIO@gmail.com