DEVTION - JULY 4, 2011

MONDAY, JULY 4, 2011

“JUST LIKE SHEEP”

BY

GREG LAURIE

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. —John 10:27

I read an article awhile ago about 450 sheep that fell to their deaths in Turkey. According to the article, one sheep jumped off a cliff, and then 1,500 others followed.

Not only will sheep follow other sheep, but they also will follow goats. In fact, that is how sheep come to be slaughtered. A “Judas goat” is used to lead the sheep up a ramp to be slaughtered. They will get in line and actually follow the Judas goat to their deaths.

We may think sheep are stupid animals, but we sometimes do things that are outright stupid as well. Don’t we try at times to run from God? Don’t we disobey the Word of God? Don’t we resist His will in our lives? Of course we do. The Bible tells us, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way . . . ” (Isaiah 53:6). That is just the way we are. We are just like sheep.

So instead of following other sheep—and certainly not a Judas goat—we should follow the Good Shepherd. Jesus said, My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:27). The word Jesus used for “follow” in this verse speaks of someone who deliberately decides to comply with instructions.

It means that we come to realize God’s plan for us is better than our plan for ourselves. And when He leads us to a different place, it is for our ultimate good. Maybe it is not for our temporary good. Maybe it doesn’t make complete sense. But He has a plan. And we are to follow Him and comply.

Summary Sentence: We are just like sheep! How is that?

Copyright © 2011 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.