11-11-2023 8:01pm

Strong spirits: your personal guide

Ang Kami Sherpa. Photo: McKay Savage

Do you ever wish you had a personal guide? Someone who would keep you on track, keep you out of trouble? That sort of thing?

You do! Jesus tells us in John chapter 10 of the Bible "I am the good shepherd, who is willing to lay down his life for the sheep." (John 10:11). The task of the shepherd is largely to care for the sheep, to guide them to safe pasture, to keep them safe and away from danger. He's offering to do that for us, for you.

In the verse just before that, he offers us even more: "The thief comes to kill, steal, and destroy. I have come that you might have life. Life in all its fullness." John 10:10). What an offer! Here Jesus is stating that his purpose for coming is to give us life that is full of purpose, and meaning and joy.

How do we get this guidance and this abundance? By submitting to the Shepherd, and following wherever he leads. Have you? Will you?

Besides serving as pastor at Caledonia Congregational Church, Gary Schwerin is the Spiritual Development Minister for the YMCA of the Rock River Valley and Executive Director of Bridge Ministries of Rockford. Prior to launching Bridge Ministries, Gary spent many years in leadership with Young Life. His columns appear here every Sunday - to see them all, subscribe to our daily email.