A Shepherd's Way

"Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all the places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness." 
Ezekiel 34:11-12

Sought. Gathered. Rescued. 

That's you, son and daughter, whom the Lord has called His own. "You are [his] sheep, human sheep of [his] pasture" (Ezek. 34:31). He has done this--sought you, gathered you, rescued you. Consider this Shepherd. If He has sought you out, abounding love exudes from Him. If He has gathered you, He wants you--for a purpose. If He has rescued you, your spirit will never again be in danger. Ever. 

In the very place that you have felt frayed, scattered, and lost He has intervened. 

When you thought you'd be consumed by a hungry wolf, caught forever in the brambles, or taken captive by a thief in the night, He stepped in and rescued you. And never again will you be harmed by danger. 

Sought. He made your heart beat and put breath in your lungs, looked upon you and smiled. This is my child whom I love. Nothing will keep Him from seeking you, His precious sheep. This abounding love is an essence of who He is; He will always seek you out and find you. Let your soul SING to this Shepherd who has sought you first! In Him you are finally found. 

Gathered. He not only sought you, He brought you to Himself--to this pasture that is lush and green. "I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land" (Ezek. 34:14). When you look around, do you see the wealth of this place you've been brought to? Or do your eyes only catch the muddled, broken haze of every-day life... Look again: you've been gathered by the Shepherd Himself for the purpose of bringing Him glory and honor and praise on the mountain heights. 

Rescued. Before, you were caught up in confusion and chaos and darkness. Now, you are secure. Now, you are in the perfectly-protective presence of your Shepherd. Could a wolf take you away from Him? "They shall no more be a prey to the nations, nor shall the beasts of the land devour them. They shall dwell securely, and none shall make them afraid" (Ezek. 34:28). 

Nearly 600 years after God breathed these words through Ezekiel, He sent His Son to be this Good Shepherd in the flesh. "Jesus...said, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep" (John 10:7).  

Today, He stills seeks, gathers, and rescues His sheep! Rest there on the mountain heights.