Feb
13 |
“Tend the Sheep”
Cindie Jenkins |
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Listen |
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Acts 20:28-29—Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. |
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Inquire |
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Paul is about to leave the Ephesians for the last time when he gives these final words of advice. Have you ever noticed when you know it will be the last time you see someone you want to say what is most important? What was important to Paul? For the people in the church to take care of one another. Why? Because the Holy Spirit had placed them in that exact place at that exact time for that purpose. Why was it important for the church to survive and grow? Because God had paid a tremendous price for it, his own blood, and the believers had a responsibility to keep it vital. |
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Faith |
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Jesus commands us to spread the word about Him so that others will believe. However, Paul reminds us that once someone becomes a member of the flock, he or she must be tended. Every sheep needs a shepherd, someone to pray for him, share in his joys and grief, and show him Christian love. Little Bo Peep lost her sheep and was advised to leave them alone and they would come home. Well, that advice was given just to make a rhyme, and it’s not even a good one (alone, home, huh?). We must remember that as sweet as it sounds that the lost sheep will come home wagging their tails behind them, it is more likely they might become sad, and then become had, by the enemy’s wolf who is bad. All sheep need protection. Are you carrying a shepherd’s staff? I’d tell you to close your eyes and picture this, but then you couldn’t read it, so just imagine. There’s a brand new baby sheep in our flock, just learning to stand, struggling to walk, looking around at the older sheep to see how it is done, bleating little baa sounds, wanting to be fed what the others have (aw, cute little thing). His wondering little eye glimpses a different kind of sheep right outside his little sheep manger area. My, this different sheep has big eyes, big ears, and big teeth! He is wearing sheep’s clothing, but he is pretending to have a lot more fun. When our cute little baby sheep is still struggling to walk, big-teeth sheep offers to take him away to a place where walking is always easy, everything tastes like sheep sugar, and all the ewes are pretty. Of course, our baby sheep is mesmerized. Our new little sheep follows big-teeth sheep to the edge of our meadow --which borders a cliff-- above a lake of fire. Will you do what a shepherd would do and pull out your supernatural Holy Spirit powers and shepherd’s staff, or what will become of our sweet little curly-haired baby who just wanted to be fed and walk like the other sheep? |
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Experience |
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Dear Father, thank you for your amazing love and grace. Please guide me in showing it to others. Help me to remember that every sheep is important to you and that ninety-nine were left behind to bring home the one that was lost and that rejoicing took place when he was found. Amen |
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