The Good Shepherd
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” John 10:14 (NIV)
When young children have a hard day at school, they come home looking for comfort from their parents. When they get a skinned knee or sliver, they come running to their parents for healing. Facing a difficult task, they look to their parents for encouragement and advice. Young children feel comfortable going to their parents because they know that no one knows them better than their father and mother and that their parents will provide what they need. If there are multiple children in the family, the parents know each child’s individual weaknesses, fears and hopes, and can comfort or encourage each child in the way that is most appropriate for them.
This doesn’t compare to the comfort and assurance that comes from being known by Jesus. Even a trusting child doesn’t tell their parents everything. We, as adults, hide many of our fears, frustrations, and dreams from even our closest friends. But, we cannot hide these from Jesus – He can see into our hearts and minds and knows us well. He intimately knows our strengths, our weaknesses, our fears, and our dreams. Because of this, even when all we can offer up to God is a groan of frustration, “the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26 ESV).
This encourages us as we face the difficulties of life. What comfort we have in knowing that the Spirit “makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:27-28 NKJV).
What a friend we have in Jesus,All our sins and griefs to bear
What a privilege to carry Everything to God in prayer
Oh what peace we often forfeit Oh what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer.
The Lutheran Hymnal 457:1