Wednesday, November 25, 2015

“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.” 
~ Elbert Hubbard 

EZEKIEL 34-35

‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? 3You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. 4You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.

1 PETER 2

23When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 25For “you were like sheep going astray,”^f but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.



JOURNAL

These verses speak of the responsibility we have as believers in both positions of power and in positions of weakness. For when we are in positions of power we are to look after and care for those under us, those who are in need. Likewise when we are in positions of weakness we are to serve with gratitude and realize that we have a shepherd who does not abandon us and will strengthen our hearts.

It is in this trust and the realization that most days I experience both positions in one way or another. If I trust God I will lean further into him and his word for direction and wisdom so that I will respond in ways that heal, honor and bring glory to the goodness of God and the reflection of that goodness in his creation.