Jeremiah 23:1-6 (NRSV)
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Chapter 23Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord. Verse 2Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the Lord. Verse 3Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. Verse 4I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord. Verse 5The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. Verse 6In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: "The Lord is our righteousness."
Devotion
In today’s passage God, the All-In-All Yahweh, confronts the shepherds of the people for not working their calling and promises a new Shepherd. Where is the voice of God who said in creation, "It is good?” "Woe to the shepherds," is the declaration now. At once, the shepherds are called to the carpet.
There is some kind of showdown in the making here. This confrontation is not because the shepherds, the sinners they are, have intended to contest their maker. They can plead ignorance regarding their God and still not be off the hook. We read that God confronts them so that when it’s all said and done the proclamation will be "Yahweh is our righteousness."
What is left for us in this message? Is it all about God? Yes! And, our Shepherd is leading us. We are God’s creatures, the sheep of his pasture.
Prayer
Creating, Redeeming, Sanctifying God, make us hold on to you when the tide of your Word turns. In Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.