Your words were found, and I ate them,
And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart;
For I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts. (Jeremiah 15:16 )
The shepherd must be fed, if he is
to feed the flock. Leading the sheep
into green pastures is demanding work.
It cannot be accomplished unless the shepherd is strong—and spiritually
speaking, our sustenance is in the Scriptures.
Jeremiah consumed the Word of God and found it not only nourishing, but
delightful. He did not study in order to
“get up a sermon,” but in order to get up with God! If the man of God does not internalize the
message, then he may be sure the congregation will not. Should there be lack of passion in the
pulpit, we may rest assured the sheep with have no delight in the message
either. Jeremiah was reminded in reading
that he belonged to God—the God who revealed Himself as the Lord God of
spiritual armies. He would face many
foes—the preacher of truth always does—but, the security of our relationship to
the Almighty will strengthen God’s preacher to stand. There are predators that would devour the
flock. Often wolves enter masquerading
as sheep. They are ferocious. Yet, we are God’s and He will sustain
us. I pray that we have feasted on God’s
Word this week, so that we will enter the pulpit with joy and send the sheep
out full of truth and delight! If we
have failed, then let us repent and sin no more!
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