YHWH is my Shepherd

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Devotion: Ps 121-26; Zech 11:4-17; 1 Cor 3:10-23; Lk 18:31-43

My help comes from YHWH, Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let His people be harmed; YHWH is my Keeper! Always I rejoice when someone invites me to worship God, and I have been blessed to sojourn in Jerusalem, God's city. Lord, I pray for the peace of Your people and Your city. Let peace abide on Jerusalem. I look to Y ou alone, my God; have mercy and relieve me from suffering. If you had not protected me, I'd long ago have perished; but You have provided the way of escape time and again, and I live to praise and serve You. We who trust in YHWH cannot be moved; as the mountains surround Jerusalem, God surrounds and protects me. Peace to the Israel of God! He has done great things for us, and we are glad! May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy, and come home rejoicing, bearing a great harvest.

YHWH directed His prophet Zechariah to become a shepherd for God's people. For God was withdrawing His protection for the recurrent sinners among the people of Israel. Zechariah set apart two staffs, and named them Grace and Union. In a month, he did away with three corrupt shepherds, and the willful and unruly flock vexed the prophet, so that he broke the staff named Grace, annulling the covenant with the people. Those who despoiled the sheep paid Zechariah thirty pieces of silver, which at God's direction, the prophet cast into the temple treasury. Then he broke the staff called Union, annulling the brotherhood between Israel and Judah. And God told Zechariah that He was going to establish an uncaring shepherd, who does not care for the wandering, or heal the maimed, or nourish the sound, and who devours the healthy sheep, 'tearing off even their hooves.' Woe to the worthless shepherd who deserts and despoils God's flock. May the sword smite his arm and his right eye! Let his arm be withered and his eye utterly blind!'

Paul wrote to the Corinthians: By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation and another is building on it. Let each take care how he builds. For there is only one true foundation, Jesus Christ. And the quality of the work of the builders will be revealed, as gold, or silver, or precious stones, or wood, or hay, or straw. The Day of God's coming will reveal this with fire that tests everything. If a man's work survives that test, he will be rewarded. If the work is devoured by the fire, he will be saved, but as one going through fire, and he will suffer loss. Don't you know: you yourselves are God's temple, and God's Spirit dwells in you. If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy—and that is what you are! But don't get puffed up; avoid thinking yourselves wise—that humility is true wisdom. The world's wisdom is folly with God, Who 'catches the wise in their craftiness.' God knows the thoughts of the worldly-wise are futile. All things are yours, whether of Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours; and you are Christ's; and Christ belongs to God!

Jesus spoke privately to the Twelve: 'Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that the prophets wrote about the Son of man will come to pass. He will be delivered to the Gentiles; He will be mocked and shamefully treated and spat upon. They will scourge Him and kill Him. And on the third day, He will rise!'
But their understanding was darkened, and they couldn't comprehend what Jesus was telling them. As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man sat beside the road, begging. Hearing a multitude passing by, the blind man asked those nearby what was happening. 'Jesus of Nazareth is passing by, ' they said. And he shouted, 'Jesus! Son of David, have mercy on me!' Jesus stopped and commanded that the man be brought to Him. When he came near to Jesus, the Lord asked the man, 'What do you want Me to do for you?' He said, 'Lord, lete me receive my sight!' Jesus said, 'Receive your sight. Your faith has made you well.' Immediately, the man was able to see, and he followed Jesus, glorifying God. Everyone who saw all this gave praise to God.