Welcome to today’s Daily Scripture Reading and Meditation covering John 10:27-30 wherein we are greatly comforted by the words of Jesus that remind us that He holds on tightly to each one of His children.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.

Jesus wasn’t confused about who He was or about the nature of His job.  It was His assurance of these things that led others to put Him on the cross.  This is one such declarative example from Jesus that put him at odds with the Jewish leaders of His day.  He was questioned by them about whether or not He was the Christ and He answered in the affirmative as we see here and are further convinced of as we observe their bloodthirsty response following.

But instead of simply answering them with an affirming, “Yep,” He instead gives great comfort and encouragement to those who accept Him as the Christ, the Son of God.  He lets all His listeners know that between He and His followers there is a true and wonderful connection.  He presents Himself as the Shepherd whose voice is recognized by His own, but it is not as if He has a herd named “Team Jesus” that He simply calls as one big group.  No, He is very specific in His call, knowing them on an individual basis.  Although the language is not emphasized as much in these verses, just previous He made it known that He calls His own sheep by name (V. 3).  O how precious is this thought, and O how much those entrusted as under-shepherds could learn from His method!  Jesus knows and utters the name of each one of His sheep.  And to all of these that follow Him, He gives a precious gift–eternal life, the absence of death, secured against every enemy.  And even this mighty grip is strengthened further through the Father’s hold on the sheep also.  The picture here is magnificent!  It is as if Jesus has His hands cupped completely around us and the greater than all Father then puts His hands over Jesus’ hands providing a layer of protection that none from within or without could possibly breach.  And furthermore, there will never be a disagreement between the Father and Son that might threaten the safety of the sheep because they are inseparable; they are one.

There are those moments in life that warrant a great sigh of relief, and even if the truth brought out in these verses is not new to the listener, let it fall afresh upon them.  But if you have not been transferred into the hands of the Son and Father by this supernatural power, do not stand as a scoffer before Jesus any longer as His opposition did on that day.  Acknowledge the true King, the risen Jesus, as loving Lord and Master of your life, knowing that He will never let you go.  Then go, and tell another one of His sheep that can walk alongside you under the Shepherd’s care.

Read more and listen at Daily Jesus.