Looking for Scattered Sheep

 I use our church directory to pray for all of the members of our church each week. I see this as one of the most important things I can do as pastor of the church. After all, I am the shepherd of the flock.. God will hold me responsible for how I cared for His flock. As I pray through the members of the church, I see so many who do not go to church now. Maybe they have moved away, or maybe they have had health problems or personal problems. I always pray for God to show me how to help them.

The shepherds of Judah, the priests, had not fulfilled their ministry to care for God's flock. He was angry with them, and He told them He was going to be their Shepherd Himself.  (Ezekiel 34:12) "I will be like a shepherd looking for his scattered flock. I will find My sheep and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day." Since this is the heart of God, it ought to be our heart, as believers, too.

I want to encourage all of us to stop for a time of reflection. The next time we go to church for worship,  look around and see who is not there, who used to be there. Let's pray for them, and let's go after them. It doesn't have to be a pastor or a teacher who does this. Any  of us can care enough to search  out a scattered sheep and find out  what is going on with them. Then, we can encourage them to come back to the flock of God. I believe God will bless us, if we will care for others in this way.

I know there are some people since the Covid pandemic who have convinced themselves that they do not need to attend church services any more. They think that it is just as good to watch services online. They rationalize by telling themselves that they believe in Jesus, and they pray. They even read their Bible at times. However, the Bible is clear that we must not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. That is God's command, because He knows the fire of the Spirit will grow very weak if we are separated from the fire of brothers and sister in Christ. Therefore, let's do what we can to get all of God's sheep together agains.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read Ezekiel 36-40.