He Lives – Our Shepherd – Week of April 27, 2026
“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
John 10:9-10
He Lives – Our Shepherd
Have you heard of a “kissing gate”? The sheep farms of England are carefully structured to keep sheep inside the fenced areas while also keeping predators out of the same fields. Some of the entrances are designed in an “S” shape or as a series of gates that very tightly funnel into the field. If two people are trying to pass each other through this “kissing gate” at the same time, they must brush past each other very closely, which is why they gave it this nickname. When sheep need to be moved through the gate, they can only go through in a single file and at the guidance of a sheep dog or shepherd.
Sometimes it feels as though I am being pushed, prodded, and pulled to do what is right, like a stubborn sheep being pulled by a shepherd. How easily I get off the path of what is right and give into my own thoughts and desires!
Other times, it feels as though I am being attacked by those that seek to destroy followers of Christ. I feel threatened by world leaders that hate God. I feel enticed to choose an “easy” path that requires me to deny my Savior. Sometimes I simply don’t know which people to trust. And the devil loves it when we feel these fears!
But our Shepherd knows about these threats, too. God tells us that he knows his sheep and will protect us from those that want to take us away from him. He promises that nothing in this world can separate us from him. Jesus, our Good Shepherd, will “guard the gate” so that the wolves of this world will not be able to take us from him.
Jesus is the gate to heaven. He is the only way that we can be saved from eternal death. If Jesus had not died and come back to life, we would be stumbling around, trying to make our own way to heaven. We would be completely lost.
In the same way that a shepherd guides his sheep through a gate and then stands guard at the entrance, Jesus does this for our soul. When we believe, we come through Jesus’ gate and into his flock. This is not by our own doing or choosing. It is the gift of our merciful and gracious God. And he does this for us so that we have life—even life to the full. How thankful we are to have a faithful shepherd guarding our hearts and minds!
Prayer:
Dear Shepherd,
Thank you for guarding me against all evil. When I am tempted by the sins of my mind and this world, please keep me safe and bring me closer to you. Amen.
