Yesterday, I asked the youth the following riddle:
What does this woman have in common with many "servants" of God? Any guesses?
The answer can be found here in this verse:
The word of the Lord came to me: “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?
-Ezekiel 34.1-2
There are a lot of "servants" of God that are obese, spiritually speaking. But, why? Every time we hear the Word of God, every time we read His Word, every single time that God speaks with us, we are receiving spiritual food.This food renews, strengthens and empowers us to overcome the battles we face daily. His Word is what keeps us on our feet. And many times those who serve God, receive, receive and receive and do not burn the calories. In other words, they receive this spiritual food, but only look to their lives. They are like the verse above says. They only worry and care for their lives. They are not concerned with the souls that are lost in the world, They are not concerned with those who are backsliding. They are only worried about themselves.
God teaches us in the book of Ephesians to be imitators of Christ. The Lord Jesus is the good shephard. The one who lays down his life for the sheep and knows them be their name. And when one goes missing he goes and leaves the 99 to find the missing one.
Could this be the reason why God chose David? David also did the same with his father's flock. When a lion or bear would attempt to eat one of the sheep, he would risk his life and strike it to rescue it.
How about us?
When a person disappears from church, have you stopped to notice their absence? Have you tried reaching out to them,or are you counting on someone else to do it for you? When you see people suffering, do you reach out, or do you do as the bad shephard that lets the wolves take them away?
When we keep what God gives to us to ourselves, we become spiritually obese. And being sincere, can and will God count with those who only think of themselves?
THINK ABOUT IT.
