In the Present tense - a promise for today!

One of the most essential observations to make when reading Psalm 23, is that David writes in the present tense - The Lord IS my Shepherd. 

This means that we have God's presence and the promise of everlasting Hope right NOW…. today! This is such good news for us, friends. We don't have to hark back to the days when God was with his people, or when God will come in the future - We can know that he is with us today!

This sentiment is also repeated in many other places in the Bible:

Psalm 46:7 - The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Isaiah 8:10 - Take counsel together, but it shall be brought to naught; speak a word, but it will not stand, for God is with us.

Matthew 1:23 - ‘Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel’, which means, ‘God is with us.’

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Staying close to the Shepherd

 

As we reflect on the beautiful image of the Good Shepherd this week, I invite you to meditate on these quotes and verses. Enjoy and may you know the comfort of the True Shepherd, Jesus.

"I am like the sick sheep that strays from the rest of the flock. Unless the Good Shepherd takes me on His shoulders and carries me back to His fold, my steps will falter, and in the very effort of rising, my feet will give way." - St. Jerome

"Christ's flock is made up of sheep that not only listen to their shepherd, but are also able to recognize his voice, to follow him, faithfully and with full awareness, on the pastures of eternal life." - Pope John XXIII

"The shepherd always tries to persuade the sheep that their interests and his own are the same." -Stendhal

John 10:11 (LB) - “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.  A hired man will run when he sees a wolf coming and will leave the sheep, for they aren’t his and he isn’t their shepherd.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

Shepherds beware! - Ezekiel 34

Ever wondered where the image of the Good Shepherd came from?
Sure, we  have heard Jesus speak about this in John 10, and the image of the Shepherd is well-known in Psalm 23, but Ezekiel's words are the basis of Jesus' heart for the lost sheep. Read these words and see the correlation with the words of Christ:

¹¹ “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search and find my sheep. ¹² I will be like a shepherd looking for his scattered flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day. ¹³ I will bring them back home to their own land of Israel from among the peoples and nations. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel and by the rivers and in all the places where people live. ¹⁴ Yes, I will give them good pastureland on the high hills of Israel. There they will lie down in pleasant places and feed in the lush pastures of the hills. ¹⁵ I myself will tend my sheep and give them a place to lie down in peace, says the Sovereign Lord. ¹⁶ I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak. But I will destroy those who are fat and powerful. I will feed them, yes—feed them justice! (Ezekiel 34)

What is startling is that these words come in response to the lack of leadership and care shown by the 'spiritual shepherds' in Ezekiel's time. These shepherds were more interested in lining their pockets and winning public praise. The warning and rebuke in this chapter is reserved entirely for these negligent leaders. God will hold them to an account. 

 ⁷ “Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: ⁸ As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, you abandoned my flock and left them to be attacked by every wild animal. And though you were my shepherds, you didn’t search for my sheep when they were lost. You took care of yourselves and left the sheep to starve. ⁹ Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord. ¹⁰ This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I now consider these shepherds my enemies, and I will hold them responsible for what has happened to my flock. I will take away their right to feed the flock, and I will stop them from feeding themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths; the sheep will no longer be their prey.

As a 'shepherd' myself I take these words seriously and realise that there will be a time when I will need to give account for my role as a pastor. I also believe that there are many 'shepherds' who are in danger of feeling the wrath of God for some of their actions. Shepherds also need to beware! 

Living in Grace

D3LM3