May 30: OUR SOURCE OF NOURISHMENT

If you have read the Bible much, you know that God often refers to His people as sheep. In Jeremiah 50 (NIV) the Prophet is lamenting the way that people have gone away from God. They have strayed like sheep but someday, he prophesies, tearfully they will seek the Lord. They are guilty of many sins and forms of rebellion, one in particular is described in verse 7, “they sinned against the Lord, their true pasture.” What a descriptive thought! Our true pasture! Our true source of refreshment and strength!
The one and only source of nourishment for God’s sheep is his word. But people will read books about the Bible and not the Bible. Some will listen to radio and television preachers of whom they know nothing rather than a local Pastor whose credentials can be checked. This can lead to confusion or spiritual darkness.
Our Lord and His word alone are our true pastures. 1 Peter 2:2 (NIV) urges “like newborn babies crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.” I do not believe in worshipping the Bible (called Bibliolatry) but I do believe in feeding on it for spiritual vitality. This proliferation of cults and sects is the result of people missing their “true pasture”.
Hear again Jeremiah 2:14 (NIV) “my people have committed two sins, they have forsaken me the spring of living water and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”
Be careful. Even churches can ignore true pastures. “The time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine; instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” (2 Timothy 4:3 NIV)
How is your pasture? Who is your pasture?

“O Father, through Your Spirit, create within us a genuine hunger for
Your word so we can grow in spiritual strength. Thank You! Amen”