He Knows Our Name

Meditations for Ragamuffins 

March 22, 2024

He Knows Our Name

“I am the good shepherd.

The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

John 10:11 

Victor Hugo’s classic book Les Miserables, tells the story of Jean Valjean whose life was redeemed through the self-sacrificial love of the priest Bienvenue. Hugo developed the character Bienvenue so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in Bienvenue’s mortal flesh. (2 Corinthians 4:11b NRSV) In this way, Bienvenue became a model by which the priests of Hugo’s generation could measure their lives. The Bible uses this same literary technique.

Ezekiel 34 uses the metaphor of a shepherd and his flock for the King and his people. Unlike royalty in secular societies who were set apart from their constituents, the shepherd was in close personal contact with his flock. He knew his sheep and they knew their shepherd. When Jesus used this metaphor in his parable (John 10:1-6) the people didn’t understand, because in their generation the rulers were dictatorial tyrants. Little has changed over the two millenniums since Jesus spoke this parable. Religious and secular leaders alike abuse their power and authority and tend to live lives separate and apart from those they govern. But Jesus pressed on to make sure we could understand the nature of God’s sovereign rule over our lives. Jesus gives us the most compelling and enduring metaphor for God’s authority and love for His people: “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11a).

Jesus gives us his promise, that as the good shepherd, he has come that we may have a rich and satisfying life. Jesus assures us that he knows our name. Jesus assures us that we can learn to know his voice; we can learn to distinguish his voice from all the noise of life.

My Takeaway: Jesus, our Messiah, is different from every king who has ever lived. Our King is more interested in our lives than his own. Why would I want to follow any other voice?

NOTE: Next week my meditations will be for each day of Holy week. I will resume my Meditations for Ragamuffins after Easter, on April 1, 2024.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2024 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.