Tag: The Good Shepherd

Posted on

The Good Shepherd

Daily Reading

Ezekiel 34-36

Daily Thought

“Thus says the Lord God: ‘Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep?’” ~Ezekiel 34:2

Sheep are dumb. They follow whomever, then wander off and get lost often. It is not a flattering metaphor, but worse are the shepherds who should care for the sheep. Ezekiel condemns the fat leaders of Israel: “You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep” (Ezekiel 34:3). That a nation’s leaders neglect their sheep in pursuit of profit and power was as true then as it is now. 

If you want something done right, do it yourself–and God does–“For thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out’” (Ezekiel 34:11). God’s future is proclaimed for his people, “I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd” (Ezekiel 34:23). 

Except David, the King, is long dead and gone. Ezekiel could only be speaking of another. 

And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” ~Matthew 21:9

This Son of David is Jesus, and it is he of whom Ezekiel spoke. Hosanna means save us and Jesus would do just that. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). The sheep would, at last, have a good shepherd watching over them. 

Daily Prayer

Oh Lord, You are my Shepherd, the good Shepherd who rescues me from slaughter of my own making. I am prone to wander, and You are forever watchful. You prod me and nudge me, and sometimes You just have to pick me up and set me aright. Thank You for caring for me more than I care for myself.

God, may I learn Your ways. May I pick up Your staff, as well, and guide others toward the good Shepherd. May I be ever watchful and care enough to sacrifice myself for the sake of Your sheep.

Amen

Daily Question

Why do people put leaders in place who are bad for them?

Posted on

That Voice

Daily Reading

John 9-10

Daily Thought

It’s the Price voice; you know it when you hear it. My four children are playing in the family room when the front door swings open, “Hello!”  Four heads in unison whip around toward the door. “Daddy’s home!”  Nope, it’s Uncle Drew, my brother. They run and hug Uncle Drew, then go back to playing. The front door swings open again, “Hello!” Four heads in unison whip around toward the door. “Daddy’s home!” Nope, it’s Grampa, my Dad. They run and hug Grampa, then go back to playing.

The front door swings open once more, “Hello!” Four heads in unison whip around toward the door. “Daddy’s home!” They run and leap into my arms. That voice. You can’t tell which Price it belongs to, but you know it’s a Price.

Jesus described himself as the good shepherd, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). That voice! Sounds just like his Father, and Jesus acknowledged it, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). Jesus was accused of blasphemy because of this, claiming to be the Son of God. His response: just watch me and see if I am not just like my Father; “If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father” (John 10:37-38). Jesus has his Father’s looks, his mannerisms, his voice. It is impossible to tell them apart. We recognize our Father in the voice of his Son.

Daily Prayer

Heavenly Father, I love to hear Your voice. The more I listen to Your Word, the better I know You, the more I love You, the closer I follow You, and, I hope, the more I sound just like You.

Thank You for Your Son because in Him I see You, and through Him, I have been adopted into Your family. My prayer, O God, is that I will sound like You, look like You, act like You, that when people see and hear me, they think of You and are glad.

Amen