I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10b).
Today’s text is very evocative to me. I have written previously about my memories of my father feeding his sheep: emptying a bag of wheat as he walked along and the sheep queueing up behind him, eating the good grain. My dad loved his sheep and looked after them, ensuring they weren’t fly-blown and didn’t have footrot. The lambs who were weak, rejected or could not be not cared for by their mothers were brought home and fed and nurtured until they could return to the flock. In lambing season, he would go around the flocks of sheep daily, checking that all was well.
This passage stresses the importance of the relationship between the shepherd and the sheep. It is only when the sheep know and recognise the shepherd that they will follow. The shepherd places the sheep at the centre of their life – they will even lay down their life for the sheep.
There is also a strong message of unity – the inclusion of the sheep that are not from this flock. They come together, and one flock is formed by the shepherd. We are reassured that Jesus chose to lay down his life of his own accord – and in doing that, he followed the command of his Father.
What an amazing and generous act on behalf of Jesus, our shepherd. Surely we can respond in kind and with a generous heart. We can put our lives in Jesus’ loving hands and trust we will find that abundance of good things. We have been given so much; what can we give back to our community, friends, family or church? Let’s take time to listen to the voice of our good shepherd calling us to be the people we have been created to be, working for the good of others with servant hearts that give God the glory and rejoice in knowing that we are following the good shepherd into a place of safety and peace.
Good Shepherd, thank you for calling me and leading me through life. Help me trust that you are watching over me and guarding and protecting me, even in the wilderness times. Amen.
Prayer Points
We give thanks for this term and for the things we have all learnt
We pray for a safe and refreshing holiday period so we may return to school next term full of enthusiasm and wonder
We pray for the Sae-Yip, Nguyen and Le Raw families
The Student Representative Council organised a fun day to raise money for the Salvation Army. The students (and staff) had a wonderful time dressing up in their pyjamas and creating crazy hair. The day raised $161 for the Salvation Army to help children who are facing homelessness.
REPORTS
The teachers have been busy preparing and creating first semester academic reports for each student. The reports will give parents an indication of their child’s progress within a range of skills in their particular subjects. Included in the reports are areas for improvement and future learning goals, which you can discuss with your child to maximise their learning. Reports will be distributed to students on Friday 23 June
