Opening Prayer
Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock! (Psa 80:1)
Text: Ezekiel 34:11–16
For thus says the Lord God: “Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land; I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, in the valleys and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in good pasture, and their fold shall be on the high mountains of Israel. There they shall lie down in a good fold and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I will feed My flock, and I will make them lie down,” says the Lord God. “I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong, and feed them in judgment.”
Devotion
Everywhere we hear that the Lord has mercy on the poor, but confounds the proud, and His whole life in His humiliation shows us the same thing. Hear this, you poor sinners, who are scattered and chased by the devil. Jesus Himself stands in the midst and says: “I, yes, I will search for My sheep and seek them out.” The places to which you are scattered are prisons of sin: Zacchaeus let himself be drawn and carried away into greed, the woman of Sychar into unchastity, Saul into self-righteousness, the prodigal son into high living, Onesimus into false freedom. Proud and earthly shepherds really help as servants of the devil, the Pharisees in Israel and the worldly priests of all ages. Woe to them, for the Lord will demand His sheep from their hand.
Jesus Himself looks for you, you poor confused soul! You are His possession. The devil has no right to you, even if you deliver yourself to him. For Jesus has redeemed you with His blood, you are His. He looks for each individual, for every single one with the Savior’s longing love. You, He is searching for you to draw you to Himself in the good sheep-fold. He cares for you as one who is lost, leads the scattered back, binds up the broken and strengthens the sick. Not a single one, not the least one does He forget. When you feel unrest in your conscience because of your sin and fear of death and judgment, it is the Shepherd’s voice, which calls for you and draws you. Answer Him, turn your heart to Him, and pray to Him for grace for true repentance. But come, O come, you straying soul!
Closing Prayer
“Gather, Jesus, gather Your sheep, those who go scattered here and there. O gather them, each and every one, into the real sheep-fold. Feed them in fair pastures. And set them free from the wolf!” Amen.
Hymn
I must lament that oft of late
From Eden’s perfect gladness
I wander in bewildered state
Into the narrow darkness.
There Satan subtly lies in wait
With deadly poisoned arrow;
There sin and ev’ry evil trait
No rest will let me borrow.
My Jesus never me deceives,
But teaches me most duly;
Into His Church He me receives
And is Himself the doorway.
There freely I go out and in
And find my soul’s refreshment;
There heav’nly feasting shall begin
And sin give no enjoyment.
Kingo: Nu ved jeg Vei til Himmerig L 373:3-6 tr. DeGarmeaux;
tune: Jeg ved et evigt Himmerig (LHy 523); alternate hymn: O Lord, who in Thy love divine ELH 505:1, 4