Sunday Scripture: Reflection for April 21, 2024

Sunday Scripture: Reflection for April 21, 2024

Heidi and her husband on the bench

Scripture Reflection: April 21, 2024 - Fourth Sunday of Easter
John 10:11-18

“I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me.”

In Jesus’ time, sheep were kept together overnight in a communal paddock so one shepherd could keep all of them safe. Then, in the morning, all the shepherds would come to the gate and call their sheep to follow them. So, while shepherds had to recognize their sheep, it was also important that the sheep know the voice of their master.

Today’s Gospel reading reminded me of a time when my husband and I had been married about 10 years. We were helping lead a retreat for engaged couples when the most amazing thing happened. We heard the voice of God.
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Let me explain.

For quite a while, we’d been struggling with how to see our way through a difficult situation. Repeatedly, we’d pray for direction, but it seemed like all God was giving us was a whole lot of nothing.

So, there we were at the retreat center sitting on our favorite wooden bench. We’d each spent some time praying separately and had returned to sit side-by-side.

And that’s when it happened. One of us asked, “What if we give up trying to control the outcome and trust that God will provide for whatever we need?” That’s all it took. We’d been trying to control every possibility to ensure we’d get our way and that “nothing” we thought we were getting was actually a whispered, “No,” from the Good Shepherd.

There, on our favorite bench, we understood that the answer to our prayer might not be what we’d pictured and it would still be okay—maybe even an outrageous blessing—because we knew the voice of the Good Shepherd when we heard it. And we listened.
 
Heidi Clark
Wildflowers Community
League City, Texas

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