Hans Pruis’ devotional this morning was on Ezechiel 34. The main subject of this chapter is whether the jewish leaders were feeding or eating their sheep.
He shared about a Finnish church, where he saw a painting of a famous legend. Once a ruler asked the church to come and show its treasures. The church leaders brought their sheep: the sick and weak people, but the result was that the ruler felt offended and had this church leaders ‘barbecued’. A strong picture of the way Jesus was treated when he came down from heaven to take care of his sheep! The question is of course: do we see our sheep as treasures, as human beings that are worthy to be taken care of?
Some guiding principles for shepherding, taken from Ezechiel 34:
– being with them (vs12)
– rescue them (vs12)
– bring them into their own land (vs13)
– tend them in good pasture (vs14)
– there they will lie down (vs14)