What He Holds - Traditional

As the Lord Jesus walks with us through the valley, there are 2 things that He is holding: His rod, and His staff. The Lord uses the rod to protect us; He is not a weak Shepherd. But He also has a staff to guide us, correct us, and discipline us. One instrument to defend, one instrument to correct.

John 10:28 says that nothing will ever snatch us out of the Shepherd’s hand. Our Shepherd is a mighty warrior who fights for us. But He is also a loving Father who corrects, keeps, and disciplines us. Do you accept the Lord’s discipline in your life? And do you place others around you who you trust to bring you back when you have wandered off (friends, pastors, parents, mentors, etc.)?

The cross shows us how far God is willing to go to bring in a lost sheep. Jesus on the cross gives us the perfect picture of the two instruments of our Shepherd: Jesus solidifies our place in His hands and promises that no one will ever take us (the rod); through His death, He makes a way for us to be brought into God’s family and taught how to live as one of His children (staff).