The Good Shepherd

Today: Ezekiel 34-36

Maybe you're like me: You don't like yard maintenance. You can't keep plants alive. You've never even played Farmville.

If so, the agricultural analogies of the Bible may seem strange to you. But to the people thousands of years ago, agricultural living was the norm.

Today's passage has a farm analogy. It opens with God talking to leaders (who He referred to as "shepherds"). God calls them out for their lousy behavior--exploiting and bullying His people. At the end of His message to the corrupt leaders, God spoke. Here's what He said:

From now on, I myself am the shepherd.

I'm going looking for them.

As shepherds go after their flocks when they get scattered,

I'm going after my sheep.

I'll rescue them

from all the places they've been scattered to

in the storms.

I'll bring them back from foreign peoples, gather them from foreign countries,

and bring them back to their home country.

I'll feed them on the mountains of Israel,

along the streams, among their own people.

I'll lead them into lush pasture

so they can roam the mountain pastures of Israel,

graze at leisure, feed in the rich pastures on the mountains of Israel.

And I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep.

I myself will make sure they get plenty of rest.

I'll go after the lost,

I'll collect the strays,

I'll doctor the injured,

I'll build up the weak ones and

oversee the strong ones so they're not exploited.

These words were God's words to people thousands of years ago, but they reveal God's heart--which applies today. What's amazing is the fact that God said these words about His people when they abandoned Him. At this point in history, Israel was far from God--lost sheep, if you will. Yet in that moment, God expressed how much He wanted to pursue, protect, heal and help His people--and He has that same heart today.

Tomorrow: Ezekiel 37-39

Mutton Bustin', Guess how much I love you?, and the Good Shepherd

Today: John 9-10

Mutton Bustin' is a strange phenomenon that I actually enjoy watching...at least once a year. For anyone who hasn't seen it, I'll explain. Mutton Bustin' is an event where little kids, ages 2-6, ride and grasp on to a sheep for dear life. It's kind of like a mini rodeo where they are challenged to stay on for 6 seconds. (Don't worry, moms, the kids are well supervised and loaded down with a helmet and padding.) It's pretty hilarious, actually. :)

I thought about Mutton Bustin' today as I read this passage...really. There's a section where Jesus describes Himself as the Good Shepherd...which makes all of His followers like sheep. Sheep are interesting little creatures. From what I observed at Mutton Bustin', they definitely have personalities all their own--some are lazy and subdued, others leap really high, some will follow the herd, while others tend to wander off on their own. They can be stubborn, bad listeners, dirty and smelly.

But here's the weird thing, a good shepherd LOVES them.

Here are a few of the things Jesus said about being the Good Shepherd:

I am the Good Shepherd.

The Good Shepherd puts the sheep before himself,

sacrifices himself if necessary.

A hired man is not a real shepherd.

The sheep mean nothing to him.

He sees a wolf come and runs for it,

leaving the sheep to be ravaged

and scattered by the wolf.

He's only in it for the money.

The sheep don't matter to him.
I am the Good Shepherd.

I know my own sheep

and my own sheep know me.

In the same way,

the Father knows me

and I know the Father.

I put the sheep before myself,

sacrificing myself if necessary.

I thought it was interesting that Jesus emphasized His sacrificial love for His "sheep" twice. I don't know if there's some kind of theological significance to that. Perhaps some scholars could see it something in line with the idea of redemption--that God created mankind, sin separated us from Him--but He loved us enough to die for our sins and made it possible for us to once again have a direct relationship with Him. In a way, redemption means that we are His twice.

Or perhaps it was just something simpler--a big expression of His love for people--like the way parents read "Guess How Much I Love You?" to their kids over and over again.

I don't know...I just know that whatever the scenario, God loves His sheep/kids like crazy. And that's pretty incredible.

Tomorrow: John 11-12