Today’s Reading, Jeremiah 49-50
Focal Scripture: Jeremiah 50:6 “My people were lost sheep; their shepherds led them astray, guiding them the wrong way in the mountains. They wandered from mountain to hill; they forgot their resting place.”
Nobody likes to get lost. Nobody especially likes to get lost when you’re following another person. When you put your trust in someone else it can become frustrating when they don’t know what they are doing or where they are going. Even more so if it keeps you from getting to a place you really want to be at.
This is where our reading has us today. Jeremiah is getting more words of judgement against the nations. God’s going to deal with them harshly for their actions. Then God makes a statement about Israel that is very interesting. He calls them lost sheep. They are lost because their shepherds (leaders) led them astray. The worst part is that the shepherds were guiding them down this path. They should have known better.
In this account the shepherds are synonymous for the leaders of Israel. The kings and the priests. They were bad leaders who were taking others with them. The same happens today. There are bad leaders in the church that have many people following them. Just like sheep they continue to follow until they are lost and are stuck in the mountains. They thought they could trust their leaders.
The application for today is to know that you must be able to examine your leaders. I am not saying that your shepherd has to be perfect but they should be leading you down a path that makes much of God. Bad leaders can take others down a path of destruction and pain. They can cause wandering and confusion. Bad leaders can also disrupt the focus being placed on God.
So what do you do if you have a bad shepherd. First, you need to ask are they following God. Does their words, actions, and character match up with biblical expectations. If it does then you should pray that they will continue to follow the Lord. If it doesn’t this person should not be in leadership. A change has to be made. Unfortunately, to often change never happens until the leader has lead the people off into the treacherous mountains. When they leave everyone else is left behind.
No leader is perfect. No follower is perfect. However, no leader should intentionally lead his people into danger. Remember this as the pulpit goes so goes the church.
Pray for your shepherds so they will not lead you astray. If you are being lead astray seek the Lord and follow him.
Tomorrow I plan on reading 51-52
