Jeremiah 23:1-6 (NRSV)
Read Jeremiah 23:1-6 on biblegateway.com
Chapter 23Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord. Verse 2Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the Lord. Verse 3Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. Verse 4I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord. Verse 5The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. Verse 6In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: "The Lord is our righteousness."
Devotion
I always tremble a bit when I read these words. I have probably scattered some sheep over the last 28 years – not intentionally, of course, but then “the best laid plans of mice and men…” And it would be vain to think that clergy have a corner on such anxiety. Sometimes “a family gathering” is an oxymoron. And sometimes scattering just happens; sometimes people just stray.
But God has a final and hopeful Word for us all. The day will come when God will gather the scattered. Christ will return and no one and nothing of his will be missing. And that day has already come in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Even now Christ is Lord of the living and the dead, the gathered and the scattered. We cannot yet see it, but we live in faith as we wait for it to be revealed.
Prayer
Gracious Lord and Good Shepherd, help us trust that nothing can snatch anyone from your hand so that we may share that hope with all people. Amen.