Our Shepherd Is Our Gate

I assure you, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber!  For a shepherd enters through the gate.  The gatekeeper opens the gate for him and the sheep hear his voice and come to him.  He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they recognize his voice.  They won't follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don't recognize his voice.

John 10:1-5

We have all heard about the gates of heaven.  Some images in our minds are those of large white "pearly" iron gates or maybe beautiful golden gates edged with jewels, all surrounded by bright light and fluffy clouds.  But in this illustration given to his disciples, the gate Jesus speaks of is one found out in the pasture. A gate keeping his flock in, protecting his sheep from the dangers lurking outside.  Jesus was referring to himself.  Jesus is the gate in which the sheep, His people, have to go through in order to be saved.  He promises, for those who enter through His gate, green pastures on the other side and safety within.  

Jesus is our shepherd too. Like a shepherd, Jesus will never leave us.  He leads us to safety, He protects us from harm and He watches over us day and night.  Like a shepherd, Jesus is committed to us and He is willing to lay down His own life for us.  Unlike hired hands who will run at the first sign of danger, a shepherd loves His flock and will stay with them through danger and see to it that they stay safe.  His flock knows His voice and will only follow Him.  They will run from strangers who cannot be trusted but they listen for the voice of their shepherd and stay near to Him.  They rely on Him for survival and he leads them to all the essentials, food, water, and shelter. Are you a part of His flock?  Do you know Jesus' voice?  Would you recognize His voice in a crowd and are you willing to run from all other voices? 

I love this illustration because the shepherd is actually the gate!  If you look closely, the bottom of the gate is missing, instead the shepherd sits in the open space and acts as the gate.  This should be our picture of Jesus.  Standing or sitting at the entrance to heaven.  We can only enter by going through Him and beyond the gates there is amazing safety and "green grass" awaiting.  Jesus is many things to us but I believe the shepherd and gate are His true calling.  Without the hope of the gate He would never stand out as our shepherd.  He would just be another shepherd, among others, who try to lead us to safety but eventually fail or who try to stay with us day and night, through dangerous situations, but end up leaving.  Jesus is the Good Shepherd who protects us but before the Shepherd can work we must be willing to enter through His gate.  We must be able to follow His voice toward the open gate that awaits us.

I encourage you to read John chapter 10 and visualize Jesus as your gate and shepherd.  Burn a mental picture in your mind so that you will be sure of who you are following and you will understand that the only way to salvation is through the Gate, our beloved Jesus.  Dear Father, I thank you for Your Son, my Good Shepherd, who is committed to protecting me and leading me throughout my whole life.  Thank you for giving me a Gate to salvation.  Show me what this looks like and help me to live my life like a sheep, always trusting in my shepherd and following His voice, running from any voice that is foreign.  Thank you for being patient with me when I start to wander like a blind sheep and thank You for lovingly calling me back to you.  In Jesus' name I pray, Amen