Reading
John 10:14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
Read More on Bible Gateway
Reflection
For me, this one paragraph sums up everything about Jesus. Here he shows his love and commitment to his flock, showing that he is prepared to lay down his life for his “sheep”, a sacrifice which he ultimately makes on the cross. But more than that, he sees others who have not entered his gate that he believes are also part of his flock. All are welcome, all are equal and for every single one of us Jesus is willing to make this sacrifice,
Spiritual Exercise
Your to-do for today: Think about what sacrifices you make in your everyday life. Do you put time aside for others, give to charity or perhaps you volunteer for a worthy cause? Think about why you do this and how it makes you feel. Think about how much your effort or your contribution means to the recipient. Perhaps you can do more, perhaps you can encourage others by sharing your experiences.
Need some ideas of how you can volunteer in your local community?
Music
Have a listen to these great songs as you think about today’s reflection:
A Classic one : The Lord’s My Shepherd
A Modern one : The Good Shepherd
Digging Deeper
Want to spend a little time digging into this series?
Church of England Daily Prayer.
Church of England Lent: LiveLent: God’s Story, Our Story
Link to St Andrews online Services.
