The Lutheran Seminary of Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States "God Pause Daily Devotion" for Thursday, 23 April 2015 - Scripture: John 10:11-18

The Lutheran Seminary of Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States "God Pause Daily Devotion" for Thursday, 23 April 2015 - Scripture: John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand, since he isn’t a shepherd and the sheep aren’t his own, sees the wolf coming, abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf drags them off and scatters them. 13 The hired worker behaves like this because that’s all he is, a hired worker; so it doesn’t matter to him what happens to the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; I know my own, and my own know me — 15 just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father — and I lay down my life on behalf of the sheep. 16 Also I have other sheep which are not from this pen; I need to bring them, and they will hear my voice; and there will be one flock, one shepherd.

17 “This is why the Father loves me: because I lay down my life — in order to take it up again! 18 No one takes it away from me; on the contrary, I lay it down of my own free will. I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it up again. This is what my Father commanded me to do.”[Complete Jewish Bible]

Similar to this week's New Testament reading in 1 John, Jesus has healed another and is being confronted by the religious authorities. He responds, distinguishing between the hired hand, who will abandon the sheep at any personal threat, and the good shepherd, who will engage the threat rather than run away.
Think of the promises made by so many in our culture—promises of wealth, love, sex, well-being, identity, community. Are not the purveyors of these promises mere hired hands, getting what they can from us for their own benefit, but becoming mighty scarce when their promises fail to deliver? What can a car, a job, a lover, or toothpaste really do to enrich our lives? Can they finally redeem our pain, or welcome us home?
Jesus, you are the good shepherd. You know us. Help us know you, so that we might be healed. Amen.
Catherine Malotky
Philanthropic Adviser, Luther Seminary
Master of Divinity , 1986
John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
12 The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them.
13 The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,
15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.
17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.
18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father."[New Revised Standard Version]
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