June 5: Enjoying His Peace.
HIS CARE.
"I am the good Shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me...and I lay down My life for the sheep."--John 10:14, 15
It was an unexpected gift from God. I was preparing the outlines for a television series when I reached out to pick up a book I needed. As I opened it, something fell out of the book--sermon notes; however, these were not mine, but my dad's. I was speechless as tears welled up in my eyes, because this was my father's homily that he had preached when I was commissioned to the ministry long ago. The topic was the Good Shepherd, what He has done for us, and His care for His sheep. He then talked about what it means to be called to shepherd God's people. My father has since passed, and I feel so blessed to have found this gift.
Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, Ezekiel prophesied that God would send His Shepherd, a descendant of David, to care for His Sheep. God had entrusted His sheep to religious leaders who had not done their job, and God denounced Israel shepherds, exposing their transgressions in no uncertain terms. "Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves!...You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat sheep without feeding the flock. Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost" Ezekiel 34:2-4. God was not happy with the way in which His sheep had been treated: scattered, abandoned, and oppressed; this was not what God had in mind! From there on, He would care for His own sheep: "I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd cares for his herd...I will care for My sheep and will deliver them...I will set over them one shepherd, My servant David [David's descendant], and he will feed them...himself and be their shepherd" (Ezekiel 34:11, 12, 23). Jesus fulfilled this prophecy. He laid down His life and lovingly cares for His sheep. If you have been lost, hungry, sick, and oppressed, remember that you now have a Good Shepherd, who is ready to give you peace and to restore your soul (see Psalm 23:3).
My Response:__________________________________________________________
HIS CARE.
"I am the good Shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me...and I lay down My life for the sheep."--John 10:14, 15
It was an unexpected gift from God. I was preparing the outlines for a television series when I reached out to pick up a book I needed. As I opened it, something fell out of the book--sermon notes; however, these were not mine, but my dad's. I was speechless as tears welled up in my eyes, because this was my father's homily that he had preached when I was commissioned to the ministry long ago. The topic was the Good Shepherd, what He has done for us, and His care for His sheep. He then talked about what it means to be called to shepherd God's people. My father has since passed, and I feel so blessed to have found this gift.
Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, Ezekiel prophesied that God would send His Shepherd, a descendant of David, to care for His Sheep. God had entrusted His sheep to religious leaders who had not done their job, and God denounced Israel shepherds, exposing their transgressions in no uncertain terms. "Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves!...You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat sheep without feeding the flock. Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost" Ezekiel 34:2-4. God was not happy with the way in which His sheep had been treated: scattered, abandoned, and oppressed; this was not what God had in mind! From there on, He would care for His own sheep: "I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd cares for his herd...I will care for My sheep and will deliver them...I will set over them one shepherd, My servant David [David's descendant], and he will feed them...himself and be their shepherd" (Ezekiel 34:11, 12, 23). Jesus fulfilled this prophecy. He laid down His life and lovingly cares for His sheep. If you have been lost, hungry, sick, and oppressed, remember that you now have a Good Shepherd, who is ready to give you peace and to restore your soul (see Psalm 23:3).
My Response:__________________________________________________________
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