“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.”

Ezekiel 34:16 NKJV

She was tossed aside. Nobody wanted a puppy with an injured leg. At least they chose to drop her near a veterinarian. That is where she met the lady who loved black labs. She fed her and loved her. Broken, as she called her, captured her heart. The same way broken sheep capture the heart of the Great Shepherd.

Ezekiel is a prophetic book I will barely understand until heaven, but I do understand the compassion of our Lord for His hurting sheep

The Lord had placed shepherds over the sheep, but they mistreated the needy sheep. Perhaps they were evil. Perhaps they were false shepherds. Maybe, they only cared about themselves.

You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them. Ezekiel 34:3-4

The flock had scattered, left to fend for themselves. They searched unsuccessfully for a place to belong. There was one who loved them. One who searched for them and found them.

As the Lord found the separated flock who had been driven away, He discovered some of them had injuries. Like our little pup, they were limping along, they could not keep up with the others. They were not good enough to receive affection.

The Great Shepherd bound up their wounds. They held a special place in His heart.

Some of the flock were sick. They demanded medical attention. No one wanted to waste their time and money nursing them back to health. They were cast aside, but the Lord rescued them. He nursed them back to health.

The shepherds had become strong and fat. They were the desirable ones. They had something to offer. They had it all, but the only thing they received was the Lord’s judgment.

Something in all of us can identify with little Broken. Something we share with the scattered flock.

Our Lord loves us as we are. In our lostness, in our brokenness, and in our sickness.

The rich, the strong, and the wise are not sought after by the Great Shepherd. They have trampled over His flock. They have abused them.

Are you one of the scattered flock? Maybe, you have been driven away by your family, a spouse or even a church. You are loved.

Are you physically less than perfect? Maybe you are an emotional mess. Jesus will make a message out of your mess. You, my friend, are loved.

Perhaps an illness keeps you secluded. Jesus loves you too. He will lift you up in His mighty arms and carry you.

In the world’s eyes, we belong on the Island of misfit toys. In God’s eyes, we belong to Him.

Lord God, we praise You for loving us in our sin, in our brokenness and in our affliction. Help us show Your love to the other broken ones. Amen.

DIG DEEPER

Read Ezekiel 34.

HIKING THE TRAIL

Do you ever feel discarded? What creates these feelings? How can you remember God loves you unconditionally the next time these emotions arise?

Copyright 2018 Carolyn Dale Newell.

Originally posted on August 13, 2020 @ 8:10 pm