Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 (NRSV)
Read Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24 on biblegateway.com
Verse 11For thus says the Lord God: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. Verse 12As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. Verse 13I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited parts of the land. Verse 14I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. Verse 15I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord God. Verse 16I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice. Verse 20Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Verse 21Because you pushed with flank and shoulder, and butted at all the weak animals with your horns until you scattered them far and wide, Verse 22I will save my flock, and they shall no longer be ravaged; and I will judge between sheep and sheep. Verse 23I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. Verse 24And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken.
Devotion
Parents of young children often leave a babysitter explicit instructions on how to care for their children, including the bedtime routine and when the lights are to go out. If the sitter needs to prepare a meal, a list of what to feed the children and when is discussed. In our home, the menu will be something the kids are sure to eat, like pizza, macaroni and cheese or a favorite “cowboy beans” casserole. We also make sure the sitter knows what she may eat too. How tragic it would be if the babysitter ignored the responsibility to feed the children in her care and only fed herself.
Ezekiel is speaking to people who have felt so neglected. His message brought hope that a caring leader would rescue them from oppressive rule. Like a shepherd who feeds his sheep on good, rich pasture, Ezekiel preached that God would feed them a meal of justice, a meal like none they had ever tasted!
Prayer
O God of justice, give wisdom, humility and integrity to leaders with responsibility for the welfare of others. Amen.