24 July 2020

The Lord says:
“I will give you shepherds after my own heart,
and these shall feed you on knowledge and discretion.”
From Jeremiah 3: 14-17

The image of God as a shepherd goes way back into the Old Testament. As our scriptures come from a society that was closer to the pastoral way of life, it is not surprising that they drew from their experience and use it to express what they understood about God.

The chances are that, as today, they would have been aware of good and bad shepherds. There would have been those who really cared for their sheep – going above and beyond what they were paid to do; and there would have been others who did the absolute minimum – if that.

The idea of shepherding was also used as a way of describing what it took to lead God’s people. And the quality of that shepherding also varied. Some did the minimum expected of them or were harsh in their dealings with people. Others seemed to have the heart of God, teaching and guiding in the ways that led to fullness of life.

• • How useful is the image of shepherding in a world of increasing technology?
  • How does a shepherd after God’s own heart behave?

Reflect today on people who have shown good leadership – good shepherding. What qualities did they have that made the difference. Pray for them and others called to lead and guide people.

Audio version