Thurs.’s Devo - The Shepherds

Read: Ezekiel 33:1-34:31; Hebrews 13:1-25; Psalm 115:1-18; Proverbs 27:21-22
Ezekiel explains that it is the end of a man’s life that matters. If a man lives in sin and repents he will be forgiven but if he turns from God and ends that way he will be judged for that. If you are thinking this is not fair know that God leans so strongly towards mercy and salvation that he will do everything he can to bring that man to repentance so he can be rewarded and not judged. It is up to the person to chose his fate.
God had caused Ezekiel to be mute for a while until the morning that Jerusalem fell. He got news that afternoon and was able to respond. He told them what they were thinking and what God was thinking. They were thinking that if God would give their land to one man, Abraham, then what would he do for a nation. Surely he would spare their land. God was thinking that Abraham’s righteousness got him the land and their wickedness cost them the land. They were accused of not strengthening the weak or healing the sick or binding up the wounds of the inured. They had not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. The shepherds would be held responsible for the flock and they had not done a good job so God would himself search for the lost sheep. He would rescue them from the places they would be scattered and place over them a shepherd that would tend to them. (We know this Shepherd he was referring to was Jesus.) Then their land would be showered with blessing and they would know that the Lord is God.
Hebrews reminds us to treat everyone with kindness because you never know if they are angels you are entertaining. God is interested in our hearts so he speaks of marriage and money. How you honor your spouse and how you look at money reveals the deepest core of your heart.
We pray with the writer of Hebrews: “May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him , through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”