*****Wow…friends…this never published like I intended it to! Wow…here it is…late…
Anyone else taking a deep breath today–FRIDAY? When I started this journey of seeking Awe and Wonder I promised myself I wouldn’t get caught up in the busy this Christmas season. It is tough though not to get caught up in it, right? Let’s take a quiet moment of worship and seek God’s Awe and Wonder with in the pages of His Word.
Today’s Advent Scripture: Ezekiel 34:20-23 from THE VOICE Advent readings:
So this is what the Eternal Lord has to say to them: “Watch carefully! I will personally judge between the fat sheep and the skinny sheep.” Because you fat sheep bully the weak, push them around, and threaten them with your horns until you scatter them to distant mountains, I will step in and save them. I will rescue them, and they will no longer be hunted and hassled. I will judge between one sheep and another. I will designate one shepherd over the entire flock: My faithful servant, David. He will watch over them and care for them. He will be their shepherd.
As we have seen already in our past Advent Scripture readings, we know that our God is creative even with His words as He uses symbolism and reoccurring themes. Don’t you love the mention of shepherds in the nativity story, in the nativity Gospel–good news? These guys were everyday people with an important job of herding the sheep which would be used for sacrifice in the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. Our Great Shepherd was the ultimate, perfect, flawless, with out blemish sacrifice on the cross. Praise Him!
Awe and Wonder:
In our Scripture for today we also read with in the prophetic book of Ezekiel a meaningful mention of Jesus-the Shepherd- as the author refers to King David.
Today, as we take some quiet moments of worship will you join me in prayer for those people in your life who desperately need the guidance, protection, direction and care from our God, our Great Shepherd? On Day we committed to pray for one person the entirety of Advent. Take some quiet moments right now to continue in prayer for that person.
May we never allow life’s busy to distract us from our first priority: to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love others as ourselves. (Matthew 22:36-40) We can start right now in doing this with deep breaths of quiet and focus on the King and continued prayer for those whom our Great Shepherd loves so very much.
I have been reading this passage of scripture in just a few days and what stood out for me was that we are both shepherds and sheep. God is our greatest shepherd and in John we read that His sheep know Him and hear His voice. So as God’s sheep we should be following God’s lead and not be stubborn and disobedient sheep. As shepherds God has entrusted us with people in our lives that He wants to lead them to Him. The only way we can be able to lead this flock is by looking at our greatest shepherd and imitate whatever He is doing because if we can’t do that then God will take care of His sheep Himself and we will held accountable for those sheep that we bullied and led them astray.