Daily Devotions
A Warning to the Shepherds of God's People
Reading for August 18th: Jeremiah 23-25
"Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!" declares the LORD.
Jeremiah 23:1
Overseers (elders) in a local church have a grave responsibility. They are given a stewardship of something very precious in the Lord's eyes: his flock!
How precious is this flock? He was willing to die for his sheep (John 10:11). He shed his own blood for them (Acts 20:28).
It is in this sense that a shepherd is called "God's steward" (Titus 1:7). If you are an elder, you must understand that it is not YOUR church. It's his church. It's his flock. He paid for their souls with his own life, not you. You must care for the souls put into your trust with great care and consideration to how important and precious these souls are to God.
Jesus said that "If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?" (Mt 18:12) He uses this as an illustration of how much the Father loves "one of these little ones" (Mt 18:14).
Are you a shepherd of God's people? Are you caring for God's flock as you should? Are you looking and searching for those sheep that are lost?
You will give an account of your shepherding some day (Heb 13:17). It's not your flock. Take care of these precious souls that have been put into your trust!
Father, thank you for godly shepherds who care for your flock. Thank you for the countless hours they spend, the sleepless nights, the anxiety and worry and concern they have over us!
