The Old Testament and Gospel lessons for this Last Sunday of the Church Year both use familiar imagery to speak of God: The Lord is our Shepherd. Here is a portion of that Old Testament reading.

Ezekiel 34:11–16 “ ‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. ¹² As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. ¹³ I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. ¹⁴ I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. ¹⁵ I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. ¹⁶ I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.

David had written “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Jesus called Himself “The Good Shepherd.” This picture language helps many people see God as a loving, tender caregiver and protector. Ezekiel reminds us that our shepherd will seek the lost and rescue us from places of danger. He wants to lead us to places of safety and provision.

I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord.

When I read those words this morning, it reminded me that God is faithful. He came down to earth to do just that. Our Good Shepherd is God Himself, the maker of heaven and earth, the one in control of everything. He became one of us in order to live among us, guide us, lead us, tend us, protect us. And this Good Shepherd was concerned about more than just our provision here on earth. He came so that we could have an eternal good pasture, that place of safety and provision. He accomplished that by laying down His life for the sheep. That was the only thing that could make the payment our sin demanded. He procured our forgiveness and life and salvation. And He will come again to take all the faithful to be with Him.

[He] will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak…

 Hearing that today made me smile. I hope it gives you comfort as well.