Jesus should play the starring role in your life. Jesus should not merely put in an occasional cameo appearance.

Unfortunately, many people relegate Jesus to cameo appearances.

Some of them think about Jesus only a few times a year. Christmas. Easter.

Some of them think about Jesus only when they are in trouble. Sick. Unemployed. Dying.

It’s OK to think about Jesus even if it’s only in a cameo appearance once in awhile. A cameo appearance is better than no appearance at all.

But Jesus longs to play far more than a cameo appearance in each our lives.

Jesus longs to play the starring role of Good Shepherd in each of our lives.

Jesus longs to play the starring role as our Great Shepherd of the sheep, equipping us with everything good for doing his will. (Hebrews 13:20).

Jesus longs to star as our Good Shepherd who comes to give us a life that we enjoy fully. (John 10:10).

Jesus longs to star as our Good Shepherd who seeks us whenever we’ve gone astray so he can bring us home rejoicing. (Luke 15:3-6).

Jesus longs to star as our Good Shepherd who makes sure we lack no good thing. (Psalm 23:1).

Jesus longs to star as our Good Shepherd who refreshes our soul amidst “green pastures” and “still waters.” (Psalm 23:2).

Jesus longs to star as our Good Shepherd who comforts us even in “valleys” of illness, unemployment and death. (Psalm 23:4).

Jesus longs to star as our Good Shepherd who protects and sustains us even when evil threatens and attacks us. (Psalm 23:4-5).

Jesus longs to star as our Good Shepherd who blesses us so that our lives overflow  with goodness and love. (Psalm 23:5-6).

Jesus longs to star as our Good Shepherd who carries us home rejoicing because we’re going to dwell in the House of the LORD forever. (Luke 15:3-6; Psalm 23:6).

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For more of my thoughts about Jesus as our Good Shepherd, please read my blog “Jesus Embodies Hesed: Saving Lost Sheep, Lost Coins, and Lost Sons”.

For more of my thoughts about the Twenty-Third Psalm, please read my blog “Hesed Blesses Forever—David”.

For excellent thoughts about the Good Shepherd throughout the Scriptures, please read the book The Good Shepherd: A Thousand-Year Journey From Psalm 23 to the New Testament, by Kenneth E. Bailey (published by InterVarsity Press, 2014).