📖 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” John 10:11
Of all the images Scripture gives us of Jesus, few are more comforting or more intimate than this: Jesus is the Good Shepherd.
Not merely a shepherd.
Not a hired hand.
Not a distant overseer.
He is the Good Shepherd, whose leadership is wise, whose protection is strong, and whose love is personal.
This reason is deeply relational: I love Jesus because He leads me and cares for me.
The more I have walked with Him through life, leadership, family, ministry, and seasons of both strength and weakness, the more precious this truth has become.
1️⃣ I love Jesus because His leadership is personal. 👣❤️
Jesus did not describe Himself as a commander or strategist, although He is both. Instead, He chose the imagery of a shepherd, a leader who guides from closeness, not distance.
“He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out.” John 10:3
He calls by name.
He leads from the front.
He knows His own individually.
This is not mechanical leadership. It is relational, intentional, and deeply attentive.
In my journey through ministry and later through regional governance, international development, and consulting work, I have faced countless crossroads:
Do I take this opportunity?
Do I step down from this role?
Do I speak or remain silent?
Do I live abroad or move back to Kenya?
Do I lead publicly or quietly from behind the scenes?
Again and again, I have discovered that Jesus does not simply give directions. He leads me Himself.
He shapes desires.
He opens and closes doors.
He confirms decisions through peace.
He uses Scripture to clarify the way.
As Eldredge puts it, His leadership is real, relational, and alive.
I love Jesus because His leadership is not distant. It is deeply personal.
2️⃣ I love Jesus because His care is tender and compassionate. 🕊️💛
A shepherd does not only lead. He cares.
Isaiah says,
“He tends His flock like a shepherd.
He gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart.” Isaiah 40:11
Jesus is strong enough to protect yet gentle enough to carry. He does not mock weakness. He meets it. He does not despise frailty. He embraces it.
There have been seasons when I felt physically drained, emotionally stretched, or spiritually weary. Leadership, whether in ministry or development work, can be demanding. Expectations are high, needs are many, and sometimes the soul grows tired.
Yet during those times, I have experienced Jesus as the Shepherd who restores my soul (Psalm 23:3). His presence quiets my anxiety. His Word renews my strength. His love steadies my heart.
Yancey reminds us that grace flows downward into our lowest places.
That has been my experience with the Shepherd.
I love Jesus because His care is tender, compassionate, and near.
3️⃣ I love Jesus because His protection is strong and secure. 🛡️🔥
Jesus says,
“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.
No one will snatch them out of My hand.” John 10:28
These are not the words of a passive leader. They are the promises of a fierce protector. The Good Shepherd fights wolves, stands in the gap, and lays down His life. Sproul reminds us that Christ’s atoning work includes victory over every enemy of our souls. That victory continues in the way He guards our lives each day.
I have seen this protection personally. Many years ago, I was victimised in a job when I reported a serious staff misconduct. My senior, conflicted by loyalty, pressured me to resign. It felt like constructive dismissal, yet even then the Shepherd shielded me, redirected me, and preserved my integrity.
Over the years, His protection has come in many forms: wisdom, closed doors, warnings, unexpected interventions.
I love Jesus because He holds my life securely. No force in heaven, on earth, or under the earth can take me from His hand.
4️⃣ I love Jesus because His presence brings peace. 🕊️🌿
Psalm 23 is not a poetic idea for me. It has been lived out in real valleys.
Even when I have walked through:
• valleys of uncertainty
• valleys of leadership pressure
• valleys of transition
• valleys of grief
• valleys of unanswered questions
Jesus has never sent me through alone.
He walks with me.
He whispers peace.
He restores my soul.
He turns valleys into testimonies.
Yancey says that God is nearest when we are in pain, and I have found that to be true.
I love Jesus because His presence is my peace.
My Worship Response 🎶🙌
Today’s worship theme begins with “Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us,” a gentle hymn whose prayer reflects my heart: “Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus, Thou hast loved us, love us still.”
His shepherding has been my anchor through every season.
“Still” by Hillsong reminds me to rest under His wings, trusting His leading even when storms rise around me.
And “You Are Yahweh” by Steve Crown lifts my eyes to the Shepherd who is also the eternal God, faithful and unchanging.
My heart responds with gratitude.
Reason # 4 Why I Love Jesus:
✨ He leads me with wisdom and cares for me with tenderness.
A Shepherd who knows me, protects me, and walks with me through every season.
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