For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. Ezekiel 34:11-12.
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 10:14-15.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God says:
Let Me be your Shepherd. A shepherd cares for his sheep. They do not need to worry. It is not all up to them to figure out where to go and what to do. The shepherd is responsible for the sheep. He is not standing back afar off and judging whether the sheep are doing His Will. He does not expect the sheep to figure out on their own what to do with themselves and where to go to find pasture and fresh water. But the shepherd expects the sheep to follow his direction. And when He is a good shepherd to them, they will trust him and let him take care of them. They will know His voice and follow him for they know he will lead them on right paths and give them good things.
It is the shepherd’s duty to care for the sheep, even above his own life and comfort. The shepherd leads the sheep to good pasture and fresh water, he guides them in dark and rough paths, he protects them from all that would harm them, he binds up the wounds of those who are hurt, he carries the lambs in his bosom, and he makes sure they have all they need. Sheep do not worry about tomorrow. They know they have a Shepherd who takes care of all their needs. They live each day to the full.
Do you really know what it means that I am your Shepherd?
It means you do not need to worry. I know all that you need even better than you do because I think BIG, far beyond what you can even imagine or ask for, for it has not entered the mind of man the greatness of what I have prepared and planned for those who love Me. But I reveal those things to you by My Spirit in you.
I give you grace every day to be able to will and to do all you need and more for that day. Each morning My mercies are new. It is like the manna I gave the Israelites in the desert—it was fresh every morning and it was more than enough for the day. And on the day before the Sabbath, I gave them double and it stayed fresh. My grace is sufficient for you. And it will never run out. Like the widow’s jug of oil and jar of flour.
I know what I look for in a shepherd and it is what you will find in Me. Here is what I said to My prophet Ezekiel about the leaders of his day: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.” Ezekiel 34:1-6.
And I told Ezekiel that I would stop those unfaithful shepherds from abusing My flock. But then I told him the good news that was to come. I told him that I Myself would rescue My flock, that I would search for My sheep and look after them, that I would save My flock, so they would no longer be plundered. And how would I do this? I told Ezekiel: “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.” Ezekiel 34:22-24.
When I foretold this to Ezekiel, King David had lived on earth many years prior to this. I, of course, was speaking of the descendant I had promised David who would be on his throne forever. The same Word I gave to Mary when My angel Gabriel delivered her the good news of My Son Whom she would birth into this earth from her virgin womb as foretold before the first man and woman in Eden after their fall from grace and whose shadow is on every page of the Old Testament until He stepped out from the shadows and became the reality when My Word became flesh and dwelt among you. And He told you who He was to you—your Good Shepherd who gave His life for you, His sheep. A shepherd who not only leads you to green pastures and fresh waters and sees to your healing, supply and your every need in this life but gives you eternal life for that eternal life is in Him and He gave it for you. He came to seek out and save the lost. Luke 19:10.
And He told you to come to Him if you are wearied and burdened and He will refresh you and give you rest. And He will do this by giving you My Word, so learn from Him for He is gentle and humble of heart and your souls will find rest, for His yoke is easy and His burden light.
Rest is Holy Spirit directed activity. It is being led by Me by My Holy Spirit in you. You have a Good Shepherd that I sent to you and He has redeemed you from the curse and opened the Blessing of Abraham to you and has given you the promise of the Spirit by faith.
He bore all your sin, pain, and separation from Me and gave you My righteousness in Him, His healing and strength, and His intimacy with Me. For He told you that He is your Good Shepherd, but He also told you where He was leading you—He told you He is the Way to Me. In Him, I reconcile you to Myself.
He leads you right to My throne and introduces Me to you, not as your Shepherd but as something so superior to that as the difference of night and day! Even though it would be more than enough for all your needs and desires to have such a great, wonderful, and wise Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep as I have given you in Jesus, but He leads you right to Me as your Father! He not only has you as a sheep, but He takes your flesh and becomes your brother so that you too are My child as He is and He makes you My heir with Him. And I am the best of fathers and a good father cares for his children and has a relationship with his children far beyond that which a shepherd has with his sheep.
So do not live in fear. Do not worry about what you will eat or drink or wear. Do not worry about tomorrow. You not only have a Good Shepherd who leads you on right paths to green pastures and refreshing waters so that there is nothing you shall want, but you have a Father that owns everything and gives you the Kingdom! And it delights your Father to do good to you. I know the plans I have for you, plans for your prosperity and peace, and not for your woe, plans to increase you and not to destroy you, plans to bless you and never to curse you, to give you a future filled with hope. You are My workmanship, My masterpiece, and I have prepared a life of good deeds for you in advance that you might walk in it. I knew you before the foundation of the world and formed you in your mother’s womb. You are wonderfully made and I want you healed, whole, joyful, and filled with abundant life.
Let Me care for you. Cast your cares on Me because I care for you. Rest in Me and let Me direct you, lead you, and guide you. Do not worry so hard about what you are to do as if you were out there all on your own, if you lean on Me (as John did on My Son at the Last Supper) I will bring you to where you should be. Learn from Me for I am gentle and humble of heart. Meditate (chew on, study, mutter) My Word day and night and all your needs will be supplied and you shall hear My Voice and always know where to walk. You will prosper and succeed in all you do for I am your Father and I take pleasure in blessing My children. I like to shower you with blessing. Ezekiel 34:26.
I love you. Always remember you have a Good Shepherd, and more than that you have a loving Father who is Almighty God.