John 10: 1-10

This morning our minister gave the most wonderful sermon, centered on Psalm 23 & John 10. I'm sure so many of you know of the many times the Bible gives this exact comparison - explaining that we are God's sheep. The sheep listen only to their Master's voice. They trust the shepherd. The shepherd's rod & staff comfort them, etc. Naturally, this entire comparison is all about relationships.
This may seem as nothing new - however our minister made one new point to the scripture in John this morning. It was a lightbulb moment for me. Read John 10: 3
The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
That's it - he leads them out. Not in. Not into a pen. Not home. But Out. Ah-ha! I'd never caught this before! God doesn't lead us into our homes into the comfy space we call our own - he leads us out. Into the wilderness - the desserts, the foreign lands. God wants us to connect with those around us. And, we can't do that without knowing His voice; understanding that he will provide the strength we need to follow His plan. He clearly challenges us out of our comfort zones so that we will learn to rely and trust Him all the more!
I think the timing of this ah-ha moment is incredible. In MOPS, my Mothers of Preschoolers group, we are starting to do some charitable programs. The biggest idea we have is to reach out to mothers who are less fortunate than us, than me. I've got to admit this is new territory for me. I have no clue how to handle working with, helping or reaching out to a pregnant teen or single mother living in a shelter. Now, however, I know that this is just one of the many places my Shepherd is leading me. I'm going out into the wilderness! I'm following His lead.
I pray that you'll open your Bible and reflect on this scripture, listen to God's voice and follow wherever your Shepherd calls you.