【双语灵修】好牧人THE GOOD SHEPHERD

约翰福音 10:1-5, 11-15

“我实实在在地告诉你们：人进羊圈，不从门进去，倒从别处爬进去，那人就是贼，就是强盗。 从门进去的，才是羊的牧人。 看门的就给他开门，羊也听他的声音。他按著名叫自己的羊，把羊领出来。 既放出自己的羊来，就在前头走，羊也跟着他，因为认得他的声音。 羊不跟着生人，因为不认得他的声音，必要逃跑。”“我是好牧人，好牧人为羊舍命。若是雇工，不是牧人，羊也不是他自己的，他看见狼来，就撇下羊逃走，狼抓住羊，赶散了羊群。雇工逃走，因他是雇工，并不顾念羊。我是好牧人，我认识我的羊，我的羊也认识我，正如父认识我，我也认识父一样；并且我为羊舍命。

10月14日

好牧人

“他按著名叫自己的羊，把羊领出来。…我是好牧人……” - 约翰福音 10:3, 14

我们一家曾在纳瓦霍国的一个边境小镇住了十年。从我们的纳瓦霍朋友那里，我们学到了一些关于放牛和牧羊的知识。我们了解到，不同的动物引导方式也不同。

牛是被赶着走的。人们用狗或马从后面惊吓它们，使它们朝想要的方向跑。我们在以色列访问时，也看到类似放山羊的情景。牧羊人不断向山羊侧后方不远的地方扔小石子，吓唬它们，驱使它们朝牧羊人想要的方向去。而绵羊就不一样了。绵羊通常跟在后面，绵羊认得牧羊人的声音。它们跟随牧羊人，是因为信任他。

耶稣说祂是好牧人，祂不用恐惧或手段驱赶他的羊。“他按著名字叫自己的羊……羊也跟着他，因为认得他的声音。”

我们熟悉牧人的声音吗？我们怎样学会辨认它？我们要到耶稣说话的地方—《圣经》那里去学，每天花时间聆听。在那里，我们逐渐熟悉祂的语调和语气；在那里，我们学习祂的行事方式，渐渐信靠祂。

这样，当耶稣带领我们走进并穿过幽暗的山谷时，即使看不见祂，我们也不惧怕，因为我们知道祂与我们同在。

祷告

好牧人啊，没有人像你这样良善。我们跟随你，信靠你—即使在黑暗之中。求你引导我们始终信靠你。阿们。

John 10:1-5,11-15

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14

THE GOOD SHEPHERD

“He calls his own sheep by name and leads them. . . . I am the good shepherd. . . .” —John 10:3,14

Our family lived for ten years in a border town of the Navajo Nation. We learned a little about herding sheep and tending cattle from our Navajo friends. We learned that different animals are led differently.

Cattle are driven. Dogs or horses are used to spook them from behind so that they trot where you want them to go. We saw something similar with goats when we visited Israel. The goat herder constantly threw small stones just beyond and to the side of the goats, in order to startle them and drive them in the direction he wanted them to go.

With sheep, it is often different. Sheep generally follow behind. Sheep learn the shepherd’s voice. And they follow the shepherd because they trust the shepherd.

Jesus says he is the good shepherd. He does not use fear or tricks to drive his sheep. “He calls his own sheep by name . . . and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.”

Do we know our Shepherd’s voice? How do we learn it? We learn Jesus’ voice by going to where he speaks, in the Bible, and spending time listening to him each day. There we grow familiar with his cadence and tones. There we learn his ways and grow to trust him.

Then, when he leads us in and through dark valleys, we will not fear, even when we can’t see him. For we know he is with us.

Good Shepherd, no one is as good as you. We follow you, and we trust you—even when it is dark. Guide us to trust you always. Amen.