“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

   - John 10.27, 28

But let it be enough to have indicated that each will need to be moulded to the example of his redeemer and the pattern of the true shepherd, Who first preaching humility, and adding seven beatitudes to the first, which is poverty of spirit, taught man so to follow His footsteps...

   - Columbanus, Letter to Certain Bishops, Irish, 7th century

The Lord Jesus boldly claimed for Himself the identity of the Good Shepherd of Ezekiel 34.10-31, an identity He fleshed out throughout the course of His ministry and explained more fully in John 10.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and we are all “under-shepherds” with a duty to bear one another’s burdens and build one another up in love (Jer. 23.1-4). A shepherd’s first instinct is not for his own wellbeing, but for those sheep entrusted to his care. He will suffer hardship, inconvenience, and danger in order to take care of his flock. He watches each one carefully, looking “into the face” of his sheep, to determine their health and needs (Prov. 27.23).

Just so, we are all called to deny ourselves and go the extra mile for our neighbor, for this is what Jesus has done for us. As the Good Shepherd, Jesus knows us, leads us, lays down His life for us, defends us against our foes, gives us eternal life, and brings other sheep to join us in His flock (cf. Jn. 10. 27, 3, 11, 12-13, 28, 16). As His under-shepherds can we do anything less?

The work of shepherding God’s flock is grossly neglected in our day, as pastors and church leaders opt for market-driven, high-efficiency programs rather than the hard work of disciple-making by shepherding. Yet it is by this means, as God makes clear in Ezekiel 34.10-31, that our Lord intends to bless and enrich His Church.

How shall we regain this important discipline of Jesus’ agenda for building His Church? One shepherd at a time, beloved, one shepherd at a time.

Whom is God calling you to shepherd with His love today?

Psalm 23.1, 2 (The Gift of Love: “Though I May Speak with Bravest Fire”)
Because the Lord my Shepherd is, I shall not want, for I am His!
He makes me lie in pastures full; I rest in Him by waters still.

Lord, like Christ, Paul, and Patrick, use me to guard and nourish the people in my care with the teaching of Your Word and the sacrifice of my life. Adapted from Sechnall, Audite Omnes Amantes

T. M. Moore, Principal
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