Devotion - Wednesday, January 10

This mornings readings included Jeremiah 23:1-8.  The prophet speaks of the work God will do to call back together his people.  The image is of a shepherd who locates the lost sheep and makes of them one flock.

I love this image.  It is powerful and comforting.

It is an image much larger than the smallness of my own experience, but it does open my eyes to the significance of what God is doing now.  While I celebrate with you the time you had away from school and this place, it is powerful and comforting to see you return and for this community to be restored.

On Monday I helped with Orientation for transfer students.  They have it rough - coming in at the middle of the year; coming in as juniors.  So much of what we do to welcome folks as part of the August rush is not repeated in January.  The experience reminded me how fortunate we are to have one another, as a buffer against all the stresses and strains and challenges.

God is calling us into the community of Jesus.  God serves as the shepherd who gathers us and leads us and makes of us a powerful and comforting flock.  I hope you can see it, too.  And that you will be sustained by the love and care and support of one another.