4You have not taken care of the weak ones, healed those that are sick, bandaged those that are hurt, brought back those that wandered off, or looked for those that were lost. Instead, you treated them cruelly. 5Because the sheep had no shepherd, they were scattered and wild animals killed and ate them. 11I the Sovereign LORD, tell you that I myself will look for my sheep and take care of them. 15I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep and I will find them a place to rest. 16I will look for those that are lost, bring back those that wander off, bandage those that are hurt, and heal those that are sick. EZEKIEL 34
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ooking at the ministry of Jesus on earth
reveals the full dimensions of God. On one hand, God is a God of judgment whose
judgment is like a consuming fire. On another, He is love. In the scripture
read above, God was angry with the leaders of Israel. He queried the way they
handled His people whom He calls sheep. He complains that because His sheep had
no one to care for them, they scattered off to distant lands away from the
sheepfold where wild animals killed and ate them. He decided then that He
Himself would become the shepherd of His people. “I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep and I will find them a place
to rest.”
God knew that because of lack of care, His sheep
were not resting. They were wandering in the wilderness where there was no
ready source of water or pasture. They were open to the burning rays of the
sun. No one cared for those that were pregnant or the little lambs that were
born. No one was there to defend them against wild animals. They faced all
manners of difficulties until God moved with love and decided to intervene.
We
see this same love, passion and genuine concern for human beings when Christ
Jesus came to the earth. In one instance after Jesus had taught a great crowd
that had listened to him for a long time, He and the disciples needed to rest
and eat, and so they went off by themselves to a quiet place on the other side
of the river. However, the crowd went and gathered there before Jesus and the disciples
arrived. “When Jesus got out of the
boat, he saw this large crowd, and his heart was filled with pity for them,
because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began to teach them many
things” MARK 6:34. Each time he found people, who were helpless, wandering
in the dark and suffering under bondage, he was moved with love and would step
out and help them.
Hear
Him declare his love for His people: “I
am the good shepherd, who is willing to die for the sheep” JOHN 10:11. He
loves the sheep and wants to protect them and provide for them. Remember He says,
“I have come in order that you might
have life – life in all its fullness” V.10. It is painful however, that in
spite of this kind of love available to the sheep, some have not given their
lives to Jesus. Jesus admitted this when he said, “There are other sheep which belong to me that are not in this
sheepfold. I must bring them, too; they will listen to my voice, and they will
become one flock with one shepherd” JOHN 10:16.
Now, I want you to know that Jesus knows you and
loves you. He is the good shepherd and sees you where you are. He has a home, a
plan and a place of rest prepared
for you and His other people. All you need do is to accept Him as your shepherd
and follow Him home. Do not continue to wander in rebellion, sexual immorality,
lying, stealing, examination malpractice, violence, hatred, jealousy, malice,
drunkenness and general worldliness. He knows that you need good education,
good jobs, good spouses, security, good health, promotion and peace. He has
provided all these things in that place of rest to which he invites you today. “Peace is what I leave with you; it is my
own peace that I give you. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid” JOHN
14:27.
The longer you hide from the shepherd, the
longer will you struggle on your own. Are you struggling day and night for
food; going here and there for security; moving from one church to another,
looking for a man of God to pray for you so that you can have jobs, good wives
and good husbands, but rejecting Jesus’ call to come home? The hymn singer says
“Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling, calling for you and for me; Earnestly
tenderly Jesus is calling, calling O sinner come home.” I invite you today in
the name of Jesus to come home. Talk to Him and ask Him to be your shepherd and
begin to lead you to your place of rest right away. Praise God!
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