December 11th - God's Good Shepherd

Reading of Scripture:

"I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd. I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David will be prince among them. I the LORD have spoken." (Ezekiel 34:23-24, NIV)

In the midst of Israel's exile, God speaks a promise of hope through the prophet Ezekiel. The people had been scattered, their leadership had failed them, and they found themselves far from home. Yet here, God promises to send them a shepherd, one who would care for them with the heart of David, Israel's greatest king.

This promise points directly to Jesus, the coming Messiah. Just as David had been a shepherd before becoming king, Jesus would come as both shepherd and ruler. Unlike the failed leaders who had scattered God's people, Jesus would gather them together. He would protect them, guide them, and most importantly, lay down his life for them.

During Advent, we remember that we too were once scattered and lost. (Maybe you feel a bit lost or scattered even today) Like sheep without a shepherd, we wandered far from God's presence. But Jesus came to seek and save the lost, to gather us into his flock. He didn't come as a distant ruler, issuing commands from afar, but as a shepherd who walks among his sheep, knows them by name, and tends to their every need.

This passage reminds us that God's solution to our brokenness wasn't to send another set of rules or another temporary fix. Instead, he sent a shepherd-king, one who would lead with both authority and tender care. As we prepare our hearts for Christmas, we can rest in the knowledge that our shepherd-king still tends his flock today.

Further Reading:

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep." (John 10:11-15, NIV)

Ask the Following Questions:

1. In what areas of your life do you need Jesus to be your shepherd today?

2. How does knowing that Jesus is both a shepherd and a king change the way you view his authority in your life?

3. Consider the difference between hired hands and true shepherds in John 10. How has Jesus demonstrated his commitment to you in ways that no one else could?

Prayer:

Loving Shepherd, thank you for seeking us out when we were lost and bringing us into your flock. Help us to recognize your voice more clearly and follow your leading more faithfully. When we feel scattered or alone, remind us that you are both our tender shepherd and our mighty king. Give us the courage to trust your guidance, even when the path seems uncertain. In Jesus' name, Amen.