Today's Scripture:

John 10:1-18 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them. Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. “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. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

Read: Reflect on a story in your life that pertains to this scripture.
Lent is a season of reflection, repentance, and renewal. As we journey toward the cross, let’s reflect on Christ’s model of parenting — one of sacrifice, guidance, deep knowing, and trust.

Reflect: What is this scripture telling you during this season?
In John 10, Jesus reveals Himself as the Good Shepherd - one who leads, protects, and ultimately lays down His life for His sheep. He is the gate by which we can freely enter a good life, and He has come so that we may have life - and have it abundantly. For parents, this passage is a powerful reminder of our calling to shepherd our children with Christ-like love and sacrifice. As precious as they are, this is something that isn’t always easy to do. I saw a funny tweet recently that said, “Parenting really is a crash course in theology. You have someone made in your image who you love so desperately you can hardly stand it. But half the time they're convinced you're trying to make them miserable when everything you're doing is actually for their ultimate good.” Isn’t this the truth? I can only imagine God’s frustration with His people as He has told us clearly throughout the Bible how to live in Him. In so many ways, we are still just like children. Wandering from Him, following our own will and hoping we don’t get caught or have to face the consequences of our actions. Parenting requires daily sacrifice - giving our time, energy, and sometimes even our desires for the sake of our children. This doesn’t compare to the sacrifice made by Him, and unlike Jesus, we are far from perfect. But just as Jesus laid down His life with love, we are called to do the same, not with resentment, but with joy, knowing that in doing so, we reflect the love of Christ.

Respond: How is this scripture calling you to respond?
May this season be a time of renewed commitment to shepherding our children with love, patience, and faith. And may we live our lives in accordance with Him so that we can better shepherd our community.

About Sarah Cobb:
My name is Sarah Cobb, daughter of Sally and Ken Fickes who are also members of Grace. I am married to my husband, Matt, and we have three kids - Peter, Luke and Sadie. I worked in government affairs for a nonprofit for almost 10 years, but recently quit to stay home before Sadie arrived.
I grew up at Grace, going through confirmation, attending countless mission trips, and Wednesday night Bible studies. Matt and I married in Dallas and started attending Grace as a new family in 2020.