Monday, April 18, 2005
Ezekiel 34:13b-14a "I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, in the valleys and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in good pasture, and their fold shall be on the high mountains of Israel."
THE LORD FEEDS HIS SHEEP
All living things need food. All plants and animals - whether as large as a whale, or as small as a carrot seed - need to have food. While the kind of food needed may be different for each living thing, it remains true that without food, any living thing will die. Food is essential to life. This fact is no less true in a Spiritual sense. In order to have and sustain spiritual life, we must have food - spiritual food. The LORD our Shepherd provides for and feeds His sheep through His Word found in the Bible. Without a regular diet of this food from the Word of God we will die spiritually.
The LORD feeds His flock through the pure teaching and preaching of His Word. Once again this is in contrast to the previous shepherds who were not feeding the flock, and were instead feeding themselves. The LORD's concern for His sheep is made clear. He promises to feed His sheep continually in good pasture.
The LORD our Shepherd feeds us with His Word here in this life, giving us the healing and the strength we need to withstand the temptations of the Devil, the world and our own sinful flesh. Throughout this life, He is there beside us guiding us and leading us in the paths of righteousness - for His name's sake. Through His Word He comforts us with the assurance that all our sins have been forgiven.
"The Lord my pasture shall prepare and feed me with a shepherd's care;
His presence shall my wants supply and guard me with a watchful eye;
My noonday walks He shall attend and all my midnight hours defend."
(TLH 368:1)
