Sunday May 3, 2009

Text for the Day -- John 10:11-15
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"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the
sheep. 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. The hired hand runs away
because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good
shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows
me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep."

Devotional
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The Shepherd image was a strong and meaningful symbol of God for the
people of Israel. Even today as you drive through Israel you see the
Bedouin tents, people who move with their flocks through the hills of
Judea. Today we may have a hard time getting in touch with the power
of this image. However, we have all known what it is to be dependent
on someone else at various times in our lives, when someone
intervened on our behalf, or guided us to a right decision, or
protected us from harm. Jesus has done that for us in many ways.

Prayer
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Tender Shepherd, continue to care for me. Amen