Morning Devotional 012526 Given, Not Taken

Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room

January 25, 2026

John 10:11-18

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 When the hired hand sees the wolf coming, he leaves the sheep and runs away. That’s because he isn’t the shepherd; the sheep aren’t really his. So the wolf attacks the sheep and scatters them. 13 He’s only a hired hand and the sheep don’t matter to him. 14 “I am the good shepherd. I know my own sheep and they know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. I give up my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that don’t belong to this sheep pen. I must lead them too. They will listen to my voice and there will be one flock, with one shepherd. 17 “This is why the Father loves me: I give up my life so that I can take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I give it up because I want to. I have the right to give it up, and I have the right to take it up again. I received this commandment from my Father.”

Good Morning! Jesus is the Good Shepherd!

Imagine you have a box of chocolates. Someone comes up, begins sharing in conversation, during which they ask if they might have a chocolate. You say, “Of course.” As they are selecting their chocolate, someone else comes up and plucks a chocolate from the box without asking. 

Is there a difference between giving up a chocolate by choice and having one taken from you by “force”? Either way, the chocolate is gone, but you feel good about sharing your chocolate; you feel violated when it is taken from you. Now this is an extreme example. It’s just candy after all. It’s probably not a hill we’re willing to die on.

In contrast, we have the shepherd who is willing to offer his own life to save his sheep. No one took Jesus’ life. He gave his life to save all God’s children. That which you give by choice, you may reclaim when the time is right. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, chose to die on that hill to claim everlasting life for us, his sheep.

Redeeming Lord, you bless us abundantly! You sent your son to save us. Thank you. We love you. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.

Thought for the day: Jesus loves us so much that he chose to suffer a painful death. 

Jesus is our shepherd who leads us on our faith journey! Pastor Liz