13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Point to ponder: In this week's scripture we are encouraged with a blessing that Paul wrote about 2000 years ago, and it is such a good reminder in this time of turmoil and world-craziness that God fills us with His Hope.
"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,
that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
I am taking a break from ministry etc. to travel and visit family for this coming few weeks, this will therefore be my last devotions for 2023. I would therefore like to bless you with being filled with the hope of God, with joy and peace in believing - and that you will abound in the hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. In spite of the world crumbling around us - we need to remind each other in this time that we are heavenly citizens and that our hope remains in HIM alone.
May you all have a safe and sound festive season and may you experience the blessing of the presence of God in abundance.
7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
Point to ponder: Often we focus on the image of Jesus being the good shepherd. Today I want to focus on Him being the door. In the days of old the shepherd slept with the sheep in the field. When they made a shelter for the sheep, the shepherd slept in the door to the shelter - watching over the sheep and protecting them from anything that tried to come in to harm them. When Jesus uses the image of the door, He is speaking from that point of view. He speaks about being the One who guards the door to our life, but also guards the door to eternal life. The sheep could not enter into the fold unless they passed through the door - but so could the enemy also not enter the fold either, because The Shepherd would protect the sheep from harm coming to steal, kill, and destroy. In verse 16 we also read the amazing hope that Jesus is the Shepherd of all people - not just of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles. He has sheep which are not of 'this fold' that He wants to bring in. Have you entered through the door which is Jesus and are you part of His fold? What an amazing image to keep in mind - the Shepherd guarding the door - and what is there under the sun, that will come past this Shepherd?
Have a look at what such a sheepfold may have looked like in the Bible's time:
