TO THE SHEPHERDS
TO THE SHEPHERDS by Elder Euther Climer TO THE SHEPHERDS OF ISRAEL
"Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves: should not the shepherds feed the flocks."Ezekiel 34:2. To my mind this is something of great importance for the growth and welfare of the Lord’s people. Have you ever stopped to think, my yokefellows, that you have the greatest calling on earth? You occupy the highest seat of all men on earth. You are called of God for a special purpose, as a watchman unto the house of Israel; not only a watchman, but a comforter of Israel. "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins."Isaiah 40:1-2ew:1-2 w:1-2.
"Feed my sheep, feed my lambs," said our Lord to Peter. The comforting words of our Lord spoken in love by His shepherds are food to the hungry little lambs of God. They are born into the kingdom of which you are overseers. The work of making sheep belongs to the King, God. Your work is to feed them; and the right kind of food is of great importance.
If they are to grow up into strong, healthy sheep, they need the sincere milk of the word while they are young and tender. Then they need strong meat (doctrine). This will help them to be strong and established in the truth of God. Then they are not easily carried away by the doctrines of men. Feed the flock of God. And if you see a wolf come into the flock, fight him, my brother, with the sword of truth; but be very careful that you do not fight your fellow-laborer. If you begin to fight each other, you are sure to scatter the sheep, and you are almost sure to cause some precious little lamb to flee. By fighting each other we cause some to stray off in the desert (for their nature is not to fight), and there in the desert many of them will die, away from the fold. Woe to the shepherd that scatters the sheep! "Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against the shepherds and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them."-Ezekiel 34:10.
God has not called us, my brother, and appointed us overseers of the flock that we might only be fed and clothed with the wool of the flock, but to feed them, to strengthen the weak, pour the oil of gladness into the hearts of the sick, bind up those that are broken with tender words of His everlasting goodness and mercy; and if we should see a lamb or sheep that has been driven away from the fold, go after such a one with brotherly kindness and use the tender cords of love to lead it back into the fold.
Go after those, my brother, that are out in the cold, bleak world, lost, wandering in darkness from place to place, seeking food and shelter and finding none. Gently and tenderly show them where they can feed and shelter under the wings of God’s love by going home to the old church and their friends, where there is rest as in the shadow of the rock in a weary land, and food and drink to quench their thirst, away from the glaring lights of a sad and sinful money-mad world. May the God of love give us grace to stand at our places on the walls of Zion as watchmen of Israel, is the prayer of this poor little servant who does not want the blood of Israel on his hands.