No Fence
Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed! John 8:36 (NKJV)
When I read this devotion by Heidi Gaull (Mornings with Jesus), I gave a hearty snort laugh. It did not seem possible that these sheep could be that dumb—but they were. I want to say that I would be that fourth sheep and check things out on the other side, but I have moments when I just stare at the entrance. Indecision and fear of the unknown often keep us on the wrong side of that entrance. How free do we really want to be?
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Today I’m uploading a favorite photo to use as my computer’s wallpaper. It depicts four sheep on a grassy hillside, with trees and a slow-moving river in the background. Three of them are facing the same direction, crowded together behind an ancient iron gate, as if willing it to open. The irony is that there is no fence on either side of the gate. It stands alone. There is nothing to stop the livestock from stepping past it.
The fourth sheep peeks out around the edge of the gate, its eyes wide.
Why does this photo resonate so strongly for me? Because I see myself in every one of those sheep. In the past, I’ve allowed barriers of my own making to bar my way forward. Insecurities and fears threatened my well-being. Unseen enemies lurked, ready to topple my dreams, leaving me frozen in place. It didn’t matter that they resided solely in my imagination.
But Jesus, the Good Shepherd (John 10:11), reminds me to follow Him. When I maintain my trust in God, He leads me to rest in green pastures (Psalm 23:2). His rod and staff (Psalm 23:4) protect me. I am safe. I am loved. And, like the fourth sheep stepping past the closed gate, because of Jesus I am free indeed.
FAITH STEP: Make a list of the barriers you face, both real and self-created. In prayer, hand each one over to the Good Shepherd. Acknowledge your freedom in Him.
Loving Lord, thank You for not laughing at us because we surely do some strange things. Please teach us walk with You and give us the courage to be that fourth sheep. AMEN.