“Then this message came to me from the Lord: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds, the leaders of Israel. Give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: What sorrow awaits you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks. Shouldn’t shepherds feed their sheep? 3 You drink the milk, wear the wool, and butcher the best animals, but you let your flocks starve. 4 You have not taken care of the weak. You have not tended the sick or bound up the injured. You have not gone looking for those who have wandered away and are lost.” Ezekiel 34:1-4 NLT
“For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search and find my sheep. 12 I will be like a shepherd looking for his scattered flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day. 13 I will bring them back home to their own land of Israel from among the peoples and nations. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel and by the rivers and in all the places where people live. 14 Yes, I will give them good pastureland on the high hills of Israel. There they will lie down in pleasant places and feed in the lush pastures of the hills. 15 I myself will tend my sheep and give them a place to lie down in peace, says the Sovereign Lord. 16 I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak.”
Ezekiel 34:11-16 NLT
Sovereign Lord,
Good Shepherd! You did and You do today still faithfully search and find Your sheep. Many years before this David, a shepherd in his youth, wrote Psalm 23. He also likened You to his shepherd.
Sheep are sensible and also willfully silly, so people who keep them tell me. They seem willingly come to the rattle of a bucket in winter when they hear the Shepherd calling. But if there’s a fence down or something to get tangled up in they seem to be drawn to it. Thank You that through Jesus You call to us to follow, safe in Your sovereign care (John 11:14-18) Thank You for calling us, me.
We need You to Shepherd us. We need You to show us when we should not blindly follow leaders but test what they say. As Ezekiel did, he tested what the other prophets and leaders were saying and knew it was not from You. We need You to show us danger and lead us not into temptation as Jesus taught us to pray (Matthew 6:13). To feed us our daily bread as Jesus also taught us to pray (Matthew 6:11). Feed our spirit as well as our bodies. Thank You that Ezekiel saw that You were not just a righteous God but a caring, nurturing, loving faithful God. You who would recover Your people and did he also see see You God doing it in the future for all nations? We do not have enough thank you’s to offer for loving your sheep . . .
In Jesus name we pray.
Worship Sunday th September 2025
The Lord’s my Shepherd, I’ll not want
He makes me lie in pastures green
He leads me by the still, still waters
His goodness restores my soul
And I will trust in You alone
And I will trust in You alone
For Your endless mercy follows me
Your goodness will lead me home
He guides my ways in righteousness
And He anoints my head with oil
And my cup, it overflows with joy
I feast on His pure delights
Chorus
And though I walk the darkest path
I will not fear the evil one
For You are with me, and Your rod and staff
Are the comfort I need to know
Chorus
Chorus
For Your endless mercy follows me
Your goodness will lead me home
Lyrics: Francis Rous
New chorus and tune: Stuart Townend and Aaron Keyes