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Ring of Truth provides 366 daily ‘proofs’ that the Bible is consistent throughout from Genesis to Revelation, and relevant for our lives today!
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Ezekiel 34:11
“ ‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for My sheep and look after them.’ ”
The Lord is the Shepherd – the Chief Shepherd. It’s a ‘Ring of Truth’!
All through Scripture we see that the Lord sees us as sheep. David recognised it and we have one of the most loved Psalms (Psalm 23) because of it. The longer I work with people and also try to care for them, the more acute the comparison becomes to me. When Isaiah said, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray” (Isaiah 53:6), he wasn’t joking.
God also knows that sheep need shepherding. He is constantly raising up shepherds to tend and care for His sheep and that is an awesome responsibility.
The reality is that, even today, God raises up Spiritual Christian Leaders to shepherd His people. Not every Christian is called to the office – but those who are, are directly accountable to the Chief Shepherd – Jesus. As Peter, who was called by Jesus three times to feed the sheep and tend the lambs, knew they are just under-shepherds (see 1 Peter 5:1-4). The flock is entrusted to their care, not for them to lord or rule over, but to have the same self-sacrificial attitude as Jesus who laid down His life for His sheep. This attitude should be evident in all under-shepherds of God’s flock.
This was not the case in Ezekiel’s time – hence his warning from God.
“Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?” (v 2)
“You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock” (v 3).
“You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally” (v 4).
“So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals” (v 5).
“My sheep wandered all over the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them” (v 6).
“I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for My flock” (v 10).
In the Spiritual realm, leadership is not a ‘job’ or ‘position’; it is the recognition of a ‘God-given’ call and anointing. Leadership is not so much a privileged appointment as recognition of servanthood.
Jesus, the Chief Shepherd, said that He came not “to be served, but to serve” (Matthew 20:28).
Even if the shepherds fail – the ‘Good News’ is the same today as it was then – “I Myself will search for My sheep and look after them.” It’s an eternal promise.
That was the promise of God which Jesus fulfilled. He came to this earth “to seek and save what was lost” (Luke 19:10) and “lay down My life for the sheep” (John 10:15).
If you are a shepherd, what sort of shepherd are you? Keep following Jesus.
If you aren’t a shepherd, please keep praying for yours.
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