February 4, 2023 - Ezekiel 34:2,3,6-8

“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds, the leaders of Israel. Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: What sorrow awaits you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks. Shouldn’t shepherds feed their sheep? You drink the milk, wear the wool, and butcher the best animals, but you let your flocks starve. They have wandered through all the mountains and all the hills, across the face of the earth, yet no one has gone to search for them. Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: 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.” Ezekiel 34:2,3,6-8 NLT

Lord, have we neglected to feed your sheep? We often think of shepherds to be pastors and if we don’t fall into that category, it might be easy to say it isn’t our responsibility. I don’t think that excuse will hold if we stand before you and you ask us this question. You told Peter in John 21:17, if you love me, you will feed my sheep. You have called us all to be fishers of men; to go and make disciples of all men. You created every human and long for each of them to come to have a relationship with you. You gave us the responsibility to make your name known to the lost. Have we not taken that task to heart like we should have and thus, abandoned your sheep? Are we so focused on ourselves and our lives that we have left them to die without knowing you? The thought of that breaks my heart. I know that it breaks yours. Lord, forgive us. Help us change our priorities in life, so that they line up with your priorities. Teach us how to love and care for your sheep. Show us what our specific role is in shepherding them and help us obey.

In Jesus name, amen.