I Know You and You Know Me
I Know You and You Know Me
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me — just as the Father knows me and I know the Father — and I lay down my life for the sheep.” – John 10:14-15
How well do you know God?
If you’ve ever had a dog, you have probably experienced something like what Jesus is talking about in our passage for today. If you’ve had a cat, you may not have experienced this. 😉
I’ve had two dogs since I became an adult, a Mini Schnauzer and a Cockapoo. I know/knew these dogs. Bronx, the Schnauzer, loved people. He loved playing fetch. He loved people and had no concept of personal space. Theo, the Cockapoo, on the other hand, is more cautious around people, but once he gets to know you, he’s a snuggler. Bronx was lazy. He’d be done with his walk a block into the walk. Theo is full of energy. I had to ride my bike to keep up with him.
They also know/knew me. Theo doesn’t always listen, but both know/knew my voice. When scared by a storm, Theo will lay by my lap or my feet. They both know/knew I’ll feed them and take care of them.
They don’t know everything about me, but they know what they need to know, that I love them and care for them and they are safe with me.
God Knows You
God created you and knows everything about you. He knows if you prefer to run or watch TV. He knows if you like steak or veggies. He knows what scares you and what makes you happy. This also means He knows how to take care of you.
He also knows everything you’ve done wrong, yet He loves you. Seriously, you can’t shock God. No matter how bad a thing you may have done, God still loves you and, as our passage says, He laid down His life for you.
You Know God
It’s interesting, isn’t it, that this passage doesn’t say,
“I know my sheep and my sheep kinda know me.”
or
“I know my sheep and some of my sheep know me, the really good ones.”
or
“I know my sheep and eventually my sheep may start to know me.”
Jesus says it as a fact.
“I know my sheep and my sheep know me”
How can he say this as a fact? It’s because the Holy Spirit is in you. His Spirit reveals the things of God to You. It is by the Spirit that you have faith and it is by the Spirit that you know God’s voice.
Jesus can say this as a fact because it is God who works this in us.
You may feel like you don’t know much about God and don’t misunderstand, I encourage you to keep learning more about Him in His Word, but also realize that you know what you need to know about God. The Spirit has revealed it to you. You know that He created you. You know that Jesus laid down His life for You. You know that your salvation is through Jesus. You know His voice because the Spirit opens your ears.
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for revealing Yourself to me and giving me faith. Continue to teach me that I would grow in my knowledge and love of You.
Amen.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
