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Ezekiel 34:11 “‘For here is what Adonai Elohim says: “I am taking over! I will search for my sheep and look after them, myself. 12 Just as a shepherd looks after his flock when he finds himself among his scattered sheep, so I will look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered when it was cloudy and dark. 13 I will bring them back from those peoples, gather them from those countries and return them to their own land. Then I will let them feed on the mountains of Isra’el, by the streams and in all the livable places of the land. 14 I will have them feed in good pastures; their grazing ground will be on the high mountains of Isra’el. They will rest in good grazing grounds and feed in rich pastures on Isra’el’s mountains. 15 Yes, I will pasture my sheep; and I will let them rest” says Adonai Elohim. 16 “I will seek the lost, bring back the outcasts, bandage the broken, and strengthen the sick. But the fat and the strong I will destroy — I will feed them with judgment.”, 20 Therefore here is what Adonai Elohim says to them: ‘I will judge between the fat sheep and the thin sheep. 21 Because you push them with your flanks and shoulders and butt all the weak ones with your horns, till you scatter them in every direction; 22 therefore I will save my flock; they will no longer be prey; and I will judge between sheep and other sheep.
23 “‘I will raise up one shepherd to be in charge of them, and he will let them feed — my servant David. He will pasture them and be their shepherd. 24 I, Adonai, will be their God; and my servant David will be prince among them. I, Adonai, have spoken.(Complete Jewish Bible)
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We cannot escape shepherding imagery in scripture. Either God or Jesus is the self-proclaimed shepherd, while the Israelites or Christ's followers are claimed as sheep of the divine pasture. Sometimes God even appoints another shepherd figure as is the case with King David in Ezekiel 34. Whether we have experience in a farming community or not, scripture pushes us to enter into the metaphoric language of husbandry.
So, what do you hear? What does it mean for you and me to imagine God as our shepherd who seeks us out--the sheep scattered, lost and in need of rescue. What does it mean to be led to good pasture and lie down under the watchful care of the Good Shepherd? Settle in. Because throughout the week this metaphor will guide us and, dare I say, shepherd us to the God who will bind up the injured, strengthen the weak and feed us all with justice.
We pray: "Shepherd us, O God, beyond all our wants, beyond all our fears, from death into life."
And God responds: "I will seek out my sheep; I will rescue you from all the places to which you have been scattered." Amen.
Justin Lind-Ayres, '03
Luther Seminary Pastor, St. Paul, Minn.; Campus Ministry Team Member, Augsburg University, Minneapolis, Minn.
Ezekiel 34:11 For thus says the Lord God: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out.
12 As 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.
13 I 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.
14 I 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.
15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord God.
16 I 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...
20 Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.
21 Because you pushed with flank and shoulder, and butted at all the weak animals with your horns until you scattered them far and wide,
22 I will save my flock, and they shall no longer be ravaged; and I will judge between sheep and sheep.
23 I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd.
24 And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them; I, the Lord, have spoken.(New Revised Standard Version)
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The Luther Seminary
2481 Como Avenue
St. Paul, Minnesota 55108, United States
Telephone: (651)641-3456-
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