A line from the Scripture posted on Monday has not left me. I wonder if we might sit quietly today and celebrate the truth of six words.

Now may the God of peace— who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep (Hebrews 13:20)

That phrase, “the great Shepherd of the sheep,” can easily be missed in the broader context of this prayer, but as I said, those words would not leave me in the last two days and they just grow bigger and bigger as I think about them.

God created, and then His creation turned away from Him. But He did not leave it alone to whirl along to its doom. He came into His creation in the person of the great Shepherd.

The Shepherd came to gather His lost sheep, to care for them and love them deeply. And in the end, He laid down His life for His sheep.

But He did not abandon them. The God of peace brought our Shepherd back from the dead. He lives again, and all who hear the Shepherd’s voice today and heed His call to come back to Him, will find themselves in His tender care always.   

Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls (1 Peter 2:25).

The Shepherd Lord of Psalm 23 now lives here, with those who have heard His voice. 

He died to pay the price to make them holy before the righteousness of God.

His power reaches into every part of their lives and breaks chains and makes them strong.

His Spirit breathes His life into His sheep, creating His character and bearing His fruit.

He Himself sits as an advocate before God for those who belong to Him.

Nothing can separate His sheep from the Shepherd. 

This letter is from Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James.I am writing to all who have been called by God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ (Jude 1).

Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us (Romans 8:34).

Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.
Surely [His] goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever (Psalm 23:1,6).

Live today in peace, knowing that as a beloved child of God you are kept safe in the care of the great Shepherd.

.

.

All Scripture from the New Living Translation.