Jesus KNOWS His sheep

During a recent lunch where I met a bunch of new freshmen (see previous post), I happened to sit down at the table where 2 of 6 freshmen students were celebrating a birthday THAT DAY!

Students get thrown in this pond in their Bday @ Albright!

Not only did I quickly co-lead the table in a somewhat awkward rendition of Happy Birthday (only 2 of us were bold enough to sing out and I kinda half forgot one of the names during the 3rd line.. yikes!), but I got to ask 1 of the women what it was like to be brand new at college while having her birthday.  She started talking all about how she was nervous that someone might throw her in the pond (apparently a tradition at Albright) for her birthday.

As I kept asking her questions, one of them seemed to hit the nail on the head.  "are you feeling lonely at all today apart from friends and family?"... "yeah.. it's hard," she said, clearly holding back some emotion.  At that point, some more boisterous conversation from the other side of the table took over, the moment was gone, and she seemed glad to change the subject.  It's too early to be vulnerable in front of your new hallmates, especially not at lunch.

Later that week, as I spoke out of John 10 during our first fellowship meeting, I called students to hear and share the GOOD NEWS on campus at Albright. John 10:14-15 says 
"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep."

The good news is that we have a God who KNOWS us... And I don't just mean sit-at-lunch-having-casual-conversations knows us, I mean knows-our-deepest-longings-and-our-current-hair-count knows us!  This is the kind of KNOWING that Jesus has for His sheep, and His sheep have for Him.... WOW


That is GOOD NEWS for a campus full of lonely students.  May God send our fellowship out to share with the corners of campus that there is a God that KNOWS their name!  That HEARS their every thought and sees their lonely birthday tears (even the ones that are being held back due to lunch time vulnerability concerns).


God have mercy on this first year student and surround her with your all knowing shepherd like presence.  May she hear your voice and know that she is not alone!


Later on the birthday night, I did run into her in the dorms.. Her hair was wet from the shower.  She smiled as she described having to scrub all of the pond scum out of her hair from being thrown in the pond and seemed to have a much better demeanor than at lunch.


I was happy for her, but still longing for something more.  I know that her deeper loneliness is still tucked away in there and may be there for weeks/months during college..  I mean it's great that her friends dunked her, but couldn't help and imagine the smile she would have if she knew the kind of love that Jesus would like to shower her with.  I can't help but think how her life might be daily filled with smiles if she could be close with her Creator and Shepherd Jesus!