Shepherd

11 “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. 12 As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness...15 I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign Lord. Ezekiel 34:11-12,15.

Jesus is our loving shepherd and he speaks to us in the Holy Bible. We can see what kind of God we have, when we are looking at Jesus Christ and read the Bible with Jesus Christ’s eyes. Psalms comforts us and provides God’s promises which we can apply, such as this psalm 147:3 “3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (New International Version NIV, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalms+147&version=NIV ), and the whole psalm 23 The Lord is my Shepherd. Jesus tells us that he is our Good Shepherd in the Gospel of John 10: “10....I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Furthermore, the psalm 147: “3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds”. All these words comfort us in everyday and our heart and words can comfort our neighbors, who need us near and far away: “25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it” (1 Cor 12). Jeesus came for all people and “5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” (Phil 2). Do you want to go with this kind of Sheppard?

Photo: Vesa Saarinen

Wisdom and Peace

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who show in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. James 3:17-18 

Peace, how we hope and long for that. James tells us the way: live in peace with your neighbor. Speak good of your neighbor, do not have bad thoughts of him or her. Wisdom from heaven is full of mercy to your neighbor, you do not hate or use ruthless words when talking about your neighbor. Are we living like a wise man or women or do we have violent and wicked thoughts in our hearts? We can always come to Jesus Christ and ask forgiveness and start a new life with Him. He will give us the Holy Spirit and a new mind to live in peace with our neighbor. Who then is our neighbor? Not only those who are living in our community or are our relatives or friends, but all people who God had created even those who we do not love. Are you living in peace? Jesus Christ is our Peace. "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"

Peace with God

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. Rom 5:1-2 

Looking for peace with God, are your god distant and hard, are you trying to conciliate your god with your gifts, deeds, and offerings? Where does your god live? The Holy Bible says us that we have peace with God our Farther through faith, what is faith? Our faith is in Jesus Christ our Lord, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.", Joh 3:16-17. Do you believe this? You do not have a distant and angry god, instead you can look at Jesus Christ and ask Him to save you from your miseries and troubles, and He will come and give you eternal life and all your sins are washed away, you will be a new creation: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Cor 5:17. Jesus Christ lives in his words in the Holy Bible, and among His Church.

Love and our Neighbor

If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 1 John 3:17

How we love? Are we loving only those who agree with us and love us? Where is my neighbor who has no shelter and home, no one taking care of? We who have received so much from our Lord Jesus Christ, are we seeing the need of our neighbor or are we just shutting our eyes without praying: what I can do for my neighbor? God's Word says that we should take care of those who are in need, are we following our God's words? According to John we can repent and receive forgiveness from our Heavenly Farther, because of Jesus Christ our Lord, who has fulfilled all Scriptures of God and who can give us the Holy Spirit (Joh 3:16-21; 1 John 3:16-24). This is Love, our Lord Jesus Christ, and we love, because He has first loved us:).

Light

Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him humble. 1 Joh 2: 9-10

Are we loving our neighbor or are we hating him or her? Who is my neighbor? Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan to an expert in the law asking first: " What is written in the Law?" (Luke 10:25-37). God's law shows us the desires and beliefs of our heart and soul, it shows us whether we are loving our neighbor or hating. God's word tells us: " Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty" (James 5:4), and "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." (Matthew 6:24). Who are we serving, are we generous and fair to the people who are working for us and also looking for their best, are we also taking care of those neighbors living in the poor countries? Do we really love our neighbor? No one can really love like Jesus, if we are honest. But as God's word says: "But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Farther in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2:1-2). How beautifully our heavenly Farther has created everything, we love our neighbor, because He has first loved us.

Peace in Jesus

I have told you things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have troubles. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16: 33

Peace? In Jesus Christ, my Lord and God. Jesus came to the world to bring hope and peace for those who are poor, miserable and hopeless and without any help. Jesus died for us, went to heaven to God, to his Farther and to our Farther, and now Jesus lives in His Words in the Holy Bible and sent us His Spirit so that we can understand what He is speaking to us (1 John 1: 1-4). Even though there is darkness around us, Jesus words are shining in the darkness, lighting our paths and teaching us (2 Peter 1: 19-21; Psalm 27: 11). We can receive peace in Jesus and He can lead us beside quiet waters, to green pastures and restore our souls (Psalm 23).

Peace

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all.The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by payer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:4-7

Why my soul is anxious and full of troubles, where is my God who can help me, who can calm my restless? My soul is like a storming lake, where is my Jesus? Jesus comes quietly and calms the storm (Matt 8:23-27), he comes in his Word gently and asks: what do you want me to do for you? Jesus is in the Holy Bible (Joh 1:1-13), in His Church, and hears your voice and your prayers even though you cannot formulate your petitions properly (Rom 8:26-27). Jesus is your Lord and your friend, looking at His face you can see our God Father, loving and caring Farther who is just waiting for you to help you (Luke 15:11-31) and to save you (Psalm 18:16-19). Rejoice my soul!