For the first time ever—after 17 years of begging—our kids have a dog at Christmastime. And not just any dog—a sheepdog. Sometimes I think she is the most biblical of all the dog breeds. Sheepdogs can teach us a lot about the heart of the Good Shepherd because these dogs were created to herd. Their personalities are ones that strive to protect their flock, but when they’re not at work, they’re gentle souls. And isn’t that just like our Jesus who would do anything (even die on a cross) to keep us, but is the gentlest with us as His sheep?
What I love most about John 10:14 is the part where it says, “I know my own sheep, and they know me” (NLT). Sometimes as Christians we can understand that God knows us, but we have a hard time believing that we can really know Him. We think He is too great to be known. And yes, in many ways, God will remain a mystery—but that doesn’t keep us from knowing Him intimately.
I think about how quickly our dog knew us and we knew her. We learned her patterns by spending time with her, and she spent all day studying our habits and watching our every move. It’s gotten to the point where we can’t even finish a sentence before her tail is already wagging and she’s halfway to the door because she knows we’re going to say the word “walk” or “treat.” She knows when to come, when to go to her crate, and when to sit, all because she has taken the time to study us and hear our voices. I believe if we take the time to study our Good Shepherd, in His Word and in His presence, we will know Him. It won’t be a question of whether we heard God correctly, or whether we are loved or saved, we will know and we will be known.
What a Good Shepherd Jesus is that He took the extra step to truly know us intimately. He could have stayed in heaven and watched us from afar, judging our every move. But instead, He chose to take on our form, feel what we feel, and make a way to lead us back to the Father. This Christmas season, may we be reminded that He came down to know us personally and shepherd our hearts the way that only He, our Creator, can.
