Reflections
May 14, 2011, 10:10pm
MANILA, Philippines — JOHN 10:1-10
JESUS said: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a
sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a
robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the
sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as
the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he
has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow
him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a
stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the
voice of strangers.” Although Jesus used this figure of speech, the
Pharisees did not realize what He
was trying to tell them.
So Jesus
said again, “Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the Gate for the sheep. All
who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen
to them. I am the Gate. Whoever enters through Me will be saved, and
will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal
and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have
it more abundantly.”
Reflection
I am the Gate. Business nowadays is done in strange ways –
transactions under the table or over the table, with the table as part
of the grease money; big letters and fine print in a contract; secret
arrangements not specified in the contract – all these do not pass
through the door but climb over elsewhere. And they kill!
I am the gatekeeper. The gatekeeper keeps in and shoos out. He
protects the lives of those within the sheepfold. If we want access to
grace, it is necessary to know and befriend the Lord who is the Gate and
the Gatekeeper, otherwise we better be ready with a pass or a badge for
entry.
A father and a son can no longer live together because of their many
differences. The son decides to pack his things and leave. On his way
out of the family home, the father calls him and hands him a key. “Son,”
he says, “I understand we cannot live together for now. But should you
decide to drop by sometime, here is the key to our house. You need not
knock.”
God has given us a key, a pass, or a badge to the kingdom in the cross of Jesus His Son!
Be honest in everything you do today.
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