KNOWN BY NAME
Prayer
Praying On The Journey With Christ
A Commitment To Encounter Christ Through The Gospel Of John
Object:
John 10:1-10
"Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers." Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
So again Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."
COMMENTARY
There is intense imagery in this passage with talk about thieves and bandits, killing and destroying. Through all the turmoil, there is a safe entrance way, known by the gatekeeper. Whether we are coming or going, entering or exiting, it is the voice of the familiar, trustworthy one that gives us confidence that we are being guarded well.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, do you know my name? Are you able to say the syllables that mean me? That is what you guarantee in this passage. This is what you say you know. You know us each by name, one by one, regardless of our station in life, and so we follow.
We follow, Lord, because there is no one else to follow like you. We follow because we hear our names. We follow because we hope that you know where we are going, though we do not know ourselves.
Lord, you are very strange, but not a stranger. No one else thinks like you, loves like you, gives like you. You get to us like no one else can. You have in your voice a calming tone, a calling tone, a claiming tone. We are your sheep in your pasture, and nothing can take us over.
What shall we do but look for that narrow slit that is the gateway of life? We cannot find the gate by ourselves because we cannot find you by ourselves. You must show yourself.
You are the gate. You are the key to the gate. You alone grant entrance. You say who goes in and who goes out. You punch the ticket, because you are the ticket. You judge us and know intuitively whether we love you, or eternal life; whether we love you, or what you can do; whether we love you, or whether we are trying to save our own necks. You know us like you know yourself, except we are full of worry and discontent; full of want and feeling guilty for it; full of hope, but wondering, always, if we have bet on the right gate.
Lord, we are "fools" for you. No other word says it so bluntly and so honestly. We are your people because you know our names, individually, one by one. We are your people because you alone know the way into the sheepfold, the way to live while here, and the way out to eternal life. We are your people because we are irresistibly drawn to love, drawn to you, the key, the gate, the gatekeeper, the calling voice we trust. Amen.
"Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers." Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
So again Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."
COMMENTARY
There is intense imagery in this passage with talk about thieves and bandits, killing and destroying. Through all the turmoil, there is a safe entrance way, known by the gatekeeper. Whether we are coming or going, entering or exiting, it is the voice of the familiar, trustworthy one that gives us confidence that we are being guarded well.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, do you know my name? Are you able to say the syllables that mean me? That is what you guarantee in this passage. This is what you say you know. You know us each by name, one by one, regardless of our station in life, and so we follow.
We follow, Lord, because there is no one else to follow like you. We follow because we hear our names. We follow because we hope that you know where we are going, though we do not know ourselves.
Lord, you are very strange, but not a stranger. No one else thinks like you, loves like you, gives like you. You get to us like no one else can. You have in your voice a calming tone, a calling tone, a claiming tone. We are your sheep in your pasture, and nothing can take us over.
What shall we do but look for that narrow slit that is the gateway of life? We cannot find the gate by ourselves because we cannot find you by ourselves. You must show yourself.
You are the gate. You are the key to the gate. You alone grant entrance. You say who goes in and who goes out. You punch the ticket, because you are the ticket. You judge us and know intuitively whether we love you, or eternal life; whether we love you, or what you can do; whether we love you, or whether we are trying to save our own necks. You know us like you know yourself, except we are full of worry and discontent; full of want and feeling guilty for it; full of hope, but wondering, always, if we have bet on the right gate.
Lord, we are "fools" for you. No other word says it so bluntly and so honestly. We are your people because you know our names, individually, one by one. We are your people because you alone know the way into the sheepfold, the way to live while here, and the way out to eternal life. We are your people because we are irresistibly drawn to love, drawn to you, the key, the gate, the gatekeeper, the calling voice we trust. Amen.
