God’s Mission – Jeremiah 23:1-6

A text – Jeremiah 23:1-6

23 Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord. ² Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the Lord. ³ Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. ⁴ I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall no longer fear or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord.

⁵ The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. ⁶ In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”

A reflection:

Shepherds is Jeremiah’s poetic word for leaders. In this passage, the kingdom of Judah’s religious and civic leaders have treated the people they govern badly, so God will now see to the leaders.

Corruption and neglect of duty seem to have been the sins of the leadership of Judah. Whenever we see corruption in a government or in the leadership of a church or a company, we see leaders neglecting those least able to look out for themselves. And we who live lower on the food chain are ever at the mercy of those who lead us. In these verses God says that God will take over the shepherding duties and drive out the wolves who have taken power, and God will raise up much better shepherds to look after the sheep. Isn’t it good to know that God sees and God has in mind to make things right?

This overturning of bad leadership is the very thing Mary sings about in her Magnificat, her song about how she will be called blessed by generations, a humble girl becoming the mother of the Messiah – “He has shown the strength of his arm, he has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.”

Whenever you look upon injustice or greed or selfishness in leadership, pray for those leaders. Remember that it has always been this way. Also remember that God sees it, and God is prepared to deal with corrupt shepherds who neglect those who need help. Pray for those who have suffered, and look toward the Kingship of the Lord, the Kingdom of God that Jesus taught about so often. Then look around you. You will see glimpses of it, and what’s more, you’ll be invited to join it. Say yes. God is always looking for people to become part of God’s mission in the world.

A prayer:

Lord God, Thank you for loving us. Thank you for continuing to have a mission to human beings. Help us to see your call to us, and help us to say yes to being a part of your joyous kingdom on earth. Amen.