Daily Office Readings for Friday, Week of the Second Sunday after Christmas: Year 2
Psalm 138, 139:1-17(18-23) Psalm 147 Jer. 23:1-8 Col. 2:8-23 John 10:7-17
“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. ” (John 10: 16)
Our Lord Jesus informs them (and us) that there are more than one path to the Jesus movement. While Christianity is good it is necessary for all Christians to “taste and see that the Lord is good.”
Several times our Lord Jesus identifies himself as the I AM. He says I AM the Gate. And he says I AM the Good Shepherd. This is how God identified God’s Self to Moses: I AM. Our Lord Jesus is both the Way in, and the Way out, of this world. He is this as the Gate, the Gate to eternal life.
But also, Our Lord Jesus is our Guide as the Good Shepherd. Our Lord Jesus leads us through the difficulties of life. He does not always remove them or get rid of them, but rather he accompanies us through them. My dad used to tell me that when the going gets rough, the rough get going. Jesus is rough enough to get us to and through the rough places in our lives. And he does this in all loving paths of the Christian life.
We must all keep our Methodist brothers and sisters in our prayers as they go through a rough time in the life of their Church. We Episcopalians have been there. We are all the “other sheep” that will be part of the same flock under One Good and Wonderful Shepherd. Thank You Lord Jesus.
Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do. John
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