“When Jesus landed on the shore and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.” (Mark 6:34)

The shepherd’s heart for you

In our Gospel lesson, Jesus is not telling a story about a shepherd. He is not calling himself a shepherd either. Rather we see him acting as the Shepherd he truly is. The Holy Spirit through the Mark’s Gospel words reveals to us our Savior’s shepherd heart. His shepherd heart goes out to the sheep, sheep that are shepherd-less without him. They are his first concern. He gives them real life and real food as he teaches them. For his voice calls out to them by their own names.

His heart goes out to each of us as well. That’s today’s devotional theme: The Shepherd’s heart goes out to you. He makes you his first concern. That’s part one. And he takes care of you as his voice teaches, feeds you with his Means of Grace; his Holy Word and sacraments of baptism and communion. That’s part two. He is your shepherd. You, are his sheep.

How pitiful shepherd-less sheep are! Shepherd-less sheep become easy prey for wolves, coyotes, lions, and other predators. They can’t outrun them. They can’t outfight them. And what wolf or lion would be scared off by a bleating: “baaa?” Sheep are left torn and bloodied and dead without a shepherd.

Hence, Jesus’ heart goes out to us sinful human beings, for we are like sheep without a shepherd. The Shepherd’s heart goes out to them. He makes his sheep his first major concern, before himself. And his shepherd’s heart goes out to you and me. For without him we are shepherd-less sheep. Without him we fall easy prey to that ravenous wolf or lion named Satan. His teeth tear us to shreds with his lies, falsehoods, and deceptions.

We need our Shepherd! Without him we spiritually starve to death unable to find the green pastures of his grace offered in his word-sacred Scriptures, and his sacraments, that restore our soul. Like the dusty dirt of overgrazed land, the empty promises and senseless pleasures of this sinful culture/society/world cannot bring true nourishment or the abundant life as Jesus leads us by the quiet streams of his Living Water.

You are Jesus’ first concern. His shepherd heart goes out to you. He left the glory of His Father’s side for you to come into this world filled with the horrors our sin. He came to rescue you from all sin, death, and the power of the devil. On Calvary’s cross The Good Shepherd endured the eternal fires of our hell, those hopeless, god-forsaken griefs and pains and terrors — all unimaginable. He endured it willingly for you, “a sheep of His own fold, a lamb of his own flock, a sinner of Your own redeeming”

Jesus continues to feed you, within the green pastures of his means of grace bringing life and nourishment to you in and through his Healing Gospel message. Jesus invites you, “Come, all who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Come, drink the living water flowing from Sacred Scripture. Come, feast on this life-giving food that alone truly satisfies. Come and be filled.” Listen to your Shepherd’s voice: “Your sins are forgiven! Depart in peace!

Accordingly, we pray: “I am Jesus’ little lamb, ever glad at heart I am; For my Shepherd gently guides me, knows my need, and well provides me, loves me every day the same, even calls me by my name. Amen.

Chopp is a clinical chaplain emeritus, MDiv, BCC, from Marshall