God Promised to Be with Us

August 26, 2012 Background Scripture: Ezekiel 34 Lesson Passage: Ezekiel 34:23 - 31 “Tho all around me is darkness and earthly joys are flown, my Savior whispers His promise—never to leave me alone.” Those words by an unknown poet from the 19th century have brought comfort to many in their times of despair and troubles. Perhaps the author was considering the passage of scripture from our lesson when these words were penned. Many have been given the opportunity to be leaders of God’s covenant people over a period of thousands of years. None have been able to live up to the holy requirement to be just and to love mercy continuously. Some have done an outstanding job of caring for the flock of God but yet there have been lapses here and there. Others have taken full advantage of their position and the situations they were confronted with to the detriment of God’s people. Furthermore, the members of the flock have not always been kind towards each other. The strong have abused the weak rather than bear their burdens. Those with much have taken from those who had the least—even that which they had was taken. Through it all, God watched over His own and brought to pass an expected end that reverberated “and we know that all things work together for good to them that love the Lord, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” God did not leave His people to fend for themselves while they waited on that expected end. God was there all the time. God spoke through the prophets and promised that one day He would bring this vicious cycle of abuse and neglect to an end. In that day, God would no longer let others be under-shepherds. Man is frail and his frame is dust. Man lacks the capacity to continuously lead according to God’s righteous standard. People do not get along with each other even as they are being led whether the leader is godly or not. People continue to bruise and trample each other as they seek advantage while attempting to follow the leader. Through it all, God continues to watch over His own. One day the Lord God will be the shepherd His people need. He will seek those that have strayed away and bring them back. He will feed them and give them rest. He will bind up those who have been bruised and broken. God will judge between the members of His flock to bring about justice in their midst. He will no longer allow one to take advantage of another. Moreover, God will command the earth to again yield its bounty as at the beginning in the Garden of Eden. The members of the flock will know that they are blessed. The enemy of God’s people will be destroyed and they will no longer live in fear. At that time, God’s people will know that God is with them—at all times. “I’ve heard the voice of my Savior, He bid me still fight on—He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone. No, never alone, no never alone—He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone;” Robert C. Hudson August 14, 2012