One & Only

Ez. 34:^11-12 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search and find my sheep. I will be like a shepherd looking for his scattered flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day.

Yesterday, I said that it is how Jesus treats His sheep that made me determine that ONLY Jesus will be my Shepherd. The question is, how does Jesus treat His sheep? When I am hurt, how does Jesus respond? Like sheep, you and I are going to get hurt in this world. When I am hurt, when my feelings are hurt, when I am hurt emotionally and going through a trying period, how does my Shepherd respond? How does your Shepherd respond? How does Jesus respond when you and I are hurt? If I Am Hurt, Jesus Shows Me Compassion. He does not put me down, or talk me down, or hassle me, or tell me I got what I deserved, or say I told you so. Matt.9:³⁶ “When Jesus saw the crowds, his heart was filled with compassion for them because they were hurting and didn’t know where to get help. They were like sheep without a shepherd.” (TEV, emphasis added).

When I am hurting Jesus shows me compassion. There are different ways to respond to someone that is hurting. You could show sympathy to someone that is hurting. Sympathy is feeling sorry or feeling pity for the person that is hurting. Sympathy is acknowledging the pain of the person hurting and saying sorry. To take it one step forward is empathy. Empathy does not just acknowledge the pain. Empathy says, “You hurt, I hurt; I feel your hurt.” But Jesus takes it even further, He did not just stop at sympathy or empathy, Jesus showed compassion. Compassion says, “You hurt, I hurt, and I am going to do something about your hurt”. That is compassion and Jesus shows us compassion. Are you hurting today? The Balm of Gilead will heal your wounds and hurts in Jesus Name.

Like every sheep, I do not only hurt, sometimes I am confused. You are going to be confused at some point. How does the shepherd respond when I am confused? How does Jesus treat His sheep when they are confused? If I Am Confused, Jesus Gives Me Direction, therefore Jesus has to be your only Shepherd. Jesus gives me direction. While there are people that know the way, the beauty about Jesus is that He does not just know, Jesus is the Way. Jn.14:6 “Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life…”. It is good to have a teacher that knows the dictionary. But what if your teacher is the dictionary? It is good to have a teacher that is knowledgeable. But what if your teacher is knowledge personified? The fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily in Christ Jesus. Jesus is not only the Way, Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Sometimes when you visit a place for the first time, it can be confusing – new routes, new people, new places. The reason many of us are confused is that this is your first time on earth. Or have you been here before? I hope not. When it is your first time in a place, it simplifies your life if you have a guide. Having a travel guide changes our perspective entirely. Jesus is your guide.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for resolving my pain and guiding me out of my confusion. Jesus, You alone are my Shepherd, in Jesus Name. Amen!