We Are His Sheep

“Know that the Lord, He is God! It is He who made us, and we are His. We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.”-Psalm 100:3 (ESV). “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” –Isaiah 53:6 (ESV) “To Him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear His voice, and He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. When He has brought out His own, He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him , for they know His voice.” –John 10:3-4 (ESV). "My sheep hear My voice and I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” –John 10: 27-28 (ESV).

Jesus called us His sheep. He told us He himself is the Shepherd of the sheep. How are we to understand and accept these concepts? First of all, we need to rid ourselves of some non-constructive ideas about sheep. We think of sheep as not having much intelligence, of being dumb animals. They can’t easily find their own food but must be led to green pastures by the shepherd. When lost, they cannot find their way home without help. They are subject to many predators and can hardly defend themselves. Overall, is it a compliment, then, to be called a sheep?

We must realize that some of the negative characteristics of sheep can also be turned to a positive as it relates to the symbolic relationship of the Christian and the Lord—or sheep and their Shepherd. Since sheep are helpless animals, they learn to depend on the shepherd for their needs. And a good shepherd will look to the needs of his flock, day and night. When we think about it, we are as lost sheep wandering in the wilderness of life. We are clueless and helpless without the Shepherd’s voice and guidance. “Your rod and your staff, they comfort me” so we learn in Psalm 23:4b.

When I was a child, I was around sheep and learned to know their nature. Each morning the weather was clement enough, my job was to take the sheep from the sheepfold where they were sheltered along the pathway out to the pasture where they were to graze during the daytime. I can still hear their bleats as they followed me. I didn’t drive them like I did the cows, that could find their pasture with my walking behind. But the sheep needed me to go ahead, to lead the way. Oftentimes during the day, when I was not in school, my task was to go check on the sheep to see if they had made it to water, and had found a greener spot to graze farther along. They were not good at finding their own sustenance, water or shade. When I went for them in the evenings, they seemed glad to see me and to follow me to their fold. Those sheep had a complete trust in me and other members of my household who took care of them. They depended on us and rallied when they heard our voice. Just such a trust is expected in the relationship Christ has with us. We can rely on Him for what we need. Because we go astray like sheep, the Lord rescues us. Because we hunger like sheep, the Lord feeds us from His Word. But the most important aspect of the relationship in Shepherd to sheep is that He knows each one of us by name and He provides a haven, a place of rest—both in this world and the next. We don’t have to worry about sheepfold, provision, or protection when we are under the Shepherd’s care. Take time to consider the beauty and solace of sheep/Shepherd relationship. Thank Him that you are His sheep safely in His pasture.