The Door

ByHeather Hart

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

John 10:7

“I am the door of the sheep.”

Surely I read that wrong. Does that even make any sense?

John 10:7 was the verse of the day on Bible Gateway and I was convinced it was a typo. Have you ever had that happen?

Years ago I remember emailing the translation team for the Easy-to-Read Version of the Bible. Their version of a verse and the verse in other Bibles didn’t really match up. Their way changed the translation from what I always assumed to something different.

I was amazed when I got an email back explaining their translation. It was well researched and well explained. I was so glad I contacted them.

This morning I had no such options. However, I did click the option to read the entire chapter of John, and that’s all it took. In context, John 10:7 made total sense.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

John 10:1-7

Jesus is recognized as our Shepherd. Both by us and by God.

I’m reminded of the narrow gate Jesus mentioned in Matthew 7 (v. 13). When we follow our shepherd He leads us through the narrow gate.

But the narrow gate isn’t our only option.

The weight of that is what hit me this morning.

The world is full of options. Not just that, but those options call to us. They woo us away from our shepherd, urging us to go another way.

But Jesus is the only way that leads to peace and everlasting life.

Which way are you choosing today? Will you respond to the call of your shepherd?

Christian Author

Heather Hart is the founder of Devotion for Today and has written over two dozen books, including Candid Moments: God is Good, Even When the Struggle is Real. Her goal isn’t to tell others how to do more, be better, or achieve perfection, it’s to point them to Jesus. After all, life is hard, but God is good.