Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber…Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. — John 10:1, 7
I have always been fascinated by the example of sheep and shepherds in the Bible. The shepherd was constantly on guard, watching over the sheep and willing to risk their lives for them at any moment. The sheep would no doubt struggle to survive were it not for the shepherd. But here in John, we see a unique description of the sheep and shepherd.
As the sheep gathered for the evening, the shepherd would try to gather them in a safe place. But usually, this safe place would not have a door. Since that was the case, the shepherd would lie himself down at the entrance and be the door of the area. The shepherd would prevent anything from getting through that door that might hurt the sheep.
So Jesus described that anything that would try to get into the sheepfold that didn’t come by the door, it was a thief and robber. It would usually be some type of predator that would try to scale the wall and get to the sheep. It would be when the sheep were sleeping, least expecting it.
Jesus goes on to share that He is the door to the sheep, referring to the children of God. Nothing can enter the sheepfold except through Him! What an amazing description of salvation! More than that, it’s an amazing reminder of how many things get into our lives.
Are the things that enter your life passing through the door of Jesus? Did He allow the things in, or did we let them creep in as a thief and a robber? We have a guard over our lives, and if things pass through the door of Jesus, it will keep us safe from harm. As you reflect today, look at the things in your life. If it didn’t come through the door of Jesus, it probably isn’t needed.
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