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November 3, 2026November 1, 2026

Tendencies of Unfaithful Shepherds

Links for today’s readings:

Nov 3 Read: Ezekiel 34 Listen: (5:11) Read: 1 Timothy 6 Listen: (3:16)

Scripture Focus: Ezekiel 34.2-6

2 Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? 3 You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. 4 You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. 5 So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. 6 My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.

Reflection: Tendencies of Unfaithful Shepherds

By John Tillman

God comforted Ezekiel, who sang the song of God’s love faithfully and beautifully to people who refused to listen and obey. Then God confronted the prophets and priests who were unfaithful.

To modern ears, Ezekiel’s description sounds like flamboyant, prosperity gospel hucksters with pockets and clothing as gilded as their voices. This extreme visual, however, can cause us to miss deeper problems. God is less concerned with the wealth of the shepherd than with the health of the flock.

In reality, most pastors live fiscally and morally responsible lives. Yet, a pastor can abuse power without ever accumulating a fleet of private jets. A pastor can abuse trust without ever being exposed in a sex scandal. Unfaithful shepherds place their own security and power before the health of the flock. Caring for others as a shepherd almost always goes against our self-preservation instincts.

In a beautiful pre-visualization of Jesus’ earthly ministry, God tells Ezekiel that he, himself, will come to the scattered sheep. He himself will search for them, gather them, heal them, and care for them.

Wise shepherds could draw from this passage a self-assessment tool:

Are the weak strengthened or are the “sleek and strong” subjecting the weak?
Are the sick healed or do the healthy shame the sick?
Are the hurts of the wounded bound up or are the angry ignored so they will limp away alone?
Are people treated tenderly or is failure or dissent crushed with authority and malice?
Are the strays and the lost brought home or do those who called this home stray?

Jesus had compassion on the masses because they were “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9.35-38) Those who should have been binding up the weak, were instead “binding up heavy burdens” and not lifting a finger to help. (Matthew 23.1-12)

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day and Ezekiel’s fellow prophets became unfaithful shepherds for similar reasons. Power and recognition were more attractive to them than service and selflessness. Control and authority were grasped by them rather than mercy and humility. Law and order were enforced by them rather than doing justice and righteousness. Unfaithful shepherds have these tendencies in common.

May we, and our shepherds be more like Jesus. May we seek and support earthly shepherds like him, who with mercy, humility, justice, and righteousness, gather, feed, guide, protect, and heal.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer

Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth tremble before him. — Psalm 96.9

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

The Limits of Ministry

Links for today’s readings:

Nov 2 Read: Ezekiel 33 Listen: (6:03) Read: 1 Timothy 5 Listen: (3:22)

Scripture Focus: Ezekiel 33.30-32

30 “As for you, son of man, your people are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, ‘Come and hear the message that has come from the LORD.’ 31 My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. 32 Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.

Reflection: The Limits of Ministry

By John Tillman

Ezekiel ministered during a drastic change in Jewish worship. Since the exodus, Jews had never been without the ministry of the priests at the tabernacle or the temple. With the sacrificial system dismantled, the gathering of God’s people to hear the teaching of priests and prophets like Ezekiel was all that was left of their worship practices.

Ezekiel was faithful but there are limits to what a minister of God can accomplish. Pastors can’t control whether people listen or have faith or obey.

There is a sense sometimes among ministers that failures of culture, failures of the body of Christ, and failures of communities are somehow all on them.

“If I just preached the gospel better…”

“If I just sang about God’s grace more beautifully…”

“If I just refuted arguments more compellingly…”

There is also, at times, dissatisfaction among congregants about the content and presentation during times of worship.

“If only they would preach less (or more) about politics…”

“If only they would sing this type of music…”

“If only they would change this element…”

God holds prophets and preachers accountable for telling the truth but not for the outcome. Multiple times in scripture prophets were told ahead of time to speak the truth even though people would not listen. God requires watchmen on the wall to faithfully call out warning but holds people responsible for their response. Only if watchmen fail to tell the truth do they have blood on their hands.

Ministry leaders bear great responsibility and many fail in varying degrees as did Israel’s priests and prophets, (we will discuss this tomorrow) but hard-hearted listeners are still blameworthy. Even listening to Ezekiel, one of the greatest prophets of his day or any day, these exiled Jewish leaders remained greedy for gain rather than being repentant.

Ministry leaders are a force for good in the world when they raise their voices to call for change. But no matter how beautiful their voices are, if the body of Christ does not have ears to hear and hearts to respond, judgment will be the result.

We cannot allow pastors and worship leaders to become merely singers of love songs with beautiful voices and instrumentalists with beautiful artistry. We must have more than words of love in our mouths. We must have beautiful feet that carry the gospel. We must take actions that put God’s word into practice.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer

Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; let the whole earth tremble before him. — Psalm 96.9

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Autumn and Wintertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Two Meanings of Too — Readers’ Choice

Links for today’s readings:

Oct 30 Read: Ezekiel 30 Listen: (4:07) Read: 1 Timothy 2 Listen: (1:38)

Links this weekend’s readings:

Oct 31 Read: Ezekiel 31 Listen: (3:31) Read: 1 Timothy 3 Listen: (2:10)
Nov 1 Read: Ezekiel 32 Listen: (5:30) Read: 1 Timothy 4 Listen: (2:05)

Readers’ Choice posts are selected by our readers:

This week of Readers’ Choice looks back at reflections about culture and calling.

Barbara, TN — Amen!

Peter, Singapore — I love the almost poetic way you flesh out the dichotomy of our exclusive and God’s inclusive use of the word, “too.” It’s a gentle rebuke that many of us need.

This post was originally published on August 7, 2026, based on readings from Jeremiah 1.6-9; 17-19.

Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 1.6-9; 17-19

6 “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”
7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.
9 Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”

17 “Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them. 18 Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. 19 They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

Reflection: Two Meanings of Too — Readers’ Choice

By John Tillman

“Too” has two meanings. It can mean exclusion or inclusion. It can mean excess or addition. One can say, “Don’t eat too many chips,” or “You can have chips too.”

You’ve probably had negative thoughts about yourself that started with “I’m too…” When you complete that phrase in your mind, what comes out?

There are interesting echoes and contrasts in the callings of Jeremiah and Moses. Jeremiah and Moses both felt they were “too” something. Jeremiah said he didn’t know how to speak because he was “too young.” Moses said he was “slow of speech and tongue.” (Exodus 4.10-12) They were too old, too young, too washed up, too wet behind the ears, too out of touch, too scandalous, too fearful, too angry, too crazy, too outspoken, too harsh, too weepy. They were too much and too little at the same time.

Whether because of fear or legitimate doubts, Jeremiah and Moses used “too” to exclude themselves, thinking God could not or should not use them. You might feel and do the same. God corrected Moses and Jeremiah and he will correct you too.

When we say things like, “I’ve got too much baggage.” God says, “No one’s baggage is too heavy for me.” When we say, “I’m too unimportant.” God says, “You are too important to me. I won’t exclude you.” When we say, “I’m too sinful.” God says, “I have mercy for you too.”

Moses was called to confront a wicked kingdom filled with injustice and false idols. He helped God’s faithful people escape into the wilderness to be formed into a new kind of people. For Jeremiah, the wicked idolatrous kingdom was his own and the only escape was exile. But God used that exile to reform and refine his people. Moses’ mission was celebrative. Jeremiah’s journey was mournful. Both were difficult and dangerous.

We don’t know what God may call us to in the next days, weeks, months, or years. But when God calls, we can expect to feel similarly to Jeremiah and Moses. We will feel too unprepared, too unqualified, too unworthy, and too weak. When we focus on our limitations, God points to his limitless abilities. When we use “too” to exclude, God uses it to include us.

When we think, “I’m too…” God says, “You, too, are mine.”

Prayer for the week:

We are taking a break from the Divine Hours Prayers this month. Each week, we will pray a prayer from Scripture or Christian history related to the week’s theme. This week’s prayer is related to our theme of culture and calling:

Christ with me. Christ before me. Christ behind me. Christ in me. Christ beneath me. Christ above me. Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise. Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me. Christ in the mouth of everyone who thinks of me. Christ in every eye that sees me. Christ in every ear that hears me. — St. Patrick (385-461)

Good Discipleship but Wrong Master — Readers’ Choice

Links for today’s readings:

Oct 29 Read: Ezekiel 29 Listen: (3:43) Read: 1 Timothy 1 Listen: (2:59)

Readers’ Choice posts are selected by our readers:

This week of Readers’ Choice looks back at reflections about culture and calling.

Russell, Japan — Amen.

Brian, DC — I agree! AMEN AMEN AMEN AMEN! This is hard work but needs to be done so that when people take time to reflect, they will see Jesus in us, and not a pawn of a political movement or motivated by hate, anger, or money.

This post was originally published on March 17, 2026, based on readings from Psalm 55.12-14; 17-21.

Scripture Focus: Psalm 55.12-14; 17-21

12 If an enemy were insulting me,

I could endure it;

if a foe were rising against me,

I could hide.

13 But it is you, a man like myself,

my companion, my close friend,

14 with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship

at the house of God,

as we walked about

among the worshipers.

20 My companion attacks his friends;

he violates his covenant.

21 His talk is smooth as butter,

yet war is in his heart;

his words are more soothing than oil,

yet they are drawn swords.

Reflection: Good Discipleship but Wrong Master — Readers’ Choice

By John Tillman

I recently made a comment on a friend’s post that was misinterpreted. He thought I was disagreeing and saying something political instead of theological.

He felt attacked and he counter-attacked. This friend (a pastor I went to seminary with and ministered with) replied with a meme from the Ace Ventura films of Jim Carey emerging from the rectum of a rhinoceros. The implication was that I, and my opinion, (that he imagined I said) were comparable to animal feces.

There are two lessons here related to Psalm 55.

One is that friends can hurt you worse than enemies. (Ps 55.12) Online insults and attacks from “trolls,” strangers, or non-human spam bots are distressing, but endurable. Attacks from friends are uniquely disheartening.

The second is that partaking means shaping. The wicked in the psalm were shaped by partaking in violence, strife, threats, and lies. (Ps 55.9-11) War entered the heart of the psalmist’s friend. (Ps 55.21)

There are politicians, podcasters, and pastors with “war” in their hearts. Even official government social media accounts use cruel, insulting memes about serious issues of war and death. And some Christians praise or approve it.

We become like what we behold, especially when we praise it. What many Christians behold and praise is not Christlike. Too many Christians (including pastors) are “discipled” by those peddling politics and pseudo-Christianity with memes, insults, fear, and hatred. It’s good discipleship, but the wrong master.

I gently confronted my friend (though I wanted to respond in anger) and he apologized, removing the offensive comment. But this isn’t about me or him or right or left. Whatever theological or political tribe you listen to has vitriolic voices and we are susceptible to becoming like them. We are being attacked by algorithms that are financially motivated to form echo-chambers and sow war into our hearts.

Christians should excel in love, not unkindness. We should excel in respect, not vitriol. Instead of throwing insulting punchlines, we should extend lifelines of engagement and care. We do not have to let go of orthodoxy to be loving, kind, and respectful. We can hold both.

We must be shaped by scripture, not culture, follow Jesus, not political leaders, and embrace truth and truth-tellers, not lies and lie-sellers.

Be prepared for yourself and others to fail. Be prepared to repent and to forgive. And when you are hurt, say with the psalmist, “as for me, I trust in you.” (Ps 55.23)

Prayer for the week:

The Rat Race — Readers’ Choice

Links for today’s readings:

Oct 28 Read: Ezekiel 28 Listen: (4:32) Read: Ephesians 6 Listen: (3:17)

Readers’ Choice posts are selected by our readers:

This week of Readers’ Choice looks back at reflections about culture and calling.

Jason, TX — Love this quote “”Jesus came to give us life to the fullest. Don’t waste it yearning for earnings.” Something we need more of.

This post was originally published on March 4, 2026, based on readings from Proverbs 23:4-5.

Scripture Focus: Proverbs 23:4-5

4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
do not trust your own cleverness.
5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,
for they will surely sprout wings
and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

Reflection: The Rat Race — Readers’ Choice

By Erin Newton

When pressed to find a suitable cultural reference for the idea of “wealth isn’t everything,” my mind immediately went to Christmas stories: The Christmas Carol (admittedly, the muppet version) and It’s a Wonderful Life. But looking for a good one-liner, I think of Harry Bailey who says: “A toast to my big brother George, the richest man in town!” George has just had an epiphany about what brings value to life, and his friends and family rallied to keep him from financial destitution.

During a season beset with giving and generosity, such movies keep the “spirit” going. We are reminded that giving is good. But once the new year rolls around, we are back at it—the rat race. The “American Dream” is built on the idea of working hard and building wealth. Of course, many of us are probably not in any sort of space where our savings are increasing. Right now, making ends meet is about as good as it gets.

Struggling to have enough to live is exhausting. It is not hard to identify the various ways our lives would be easier if we had bigger inflow of income. We might read this verse and scoff, “Not my problem!” Who is really prospering right now? Believe me, I get it.

But the drive to try to be wealthy might be something we do struggle with. Wanting to afford things for ourselves and our families is not inherently bad. But if we are single-mindedly trying to gain and gain and gain, we are likely to burn out.

My husband recently said, “What if a little is enough?” He told me about a business model that used a shopping center for local businesses. The spaces were rented out in increments depending on the needs of the entrepreneurs. The idea was to avoid the larger box stores or franchises and keep expenses low. “Just enough for what they need to use.”

Just enough.

Where can we let go of the weary pursuit of building wealth and settle for “just enough”? What can we gain by stepping back?

The proverb says that money is fleeting. Money is easy to spend. Investments can be easily devalued. Heirlooms can depreciate. Precious jewels can be lost. Our satisfaction is often a moving goalpost.

Jesus came to give us life to the fullest. Don’t waste it yearning for earnings. Know when you have enough and then stop.

Links for today’s readings:

Scripture Focus: Ezekiel 34.2-6

Reflection: Tendencies of Unfaithful Shepherds

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer

Read more: Prayer for Faithful Shepherds

Read more: The Purpose of Power

Links for today’s readings:

Scripture Focus: Ezekiel 33.30-32

Reflection: The Limits of Ministry

Divine Hours Prayer: The Call to Prayer

Read more: Denying our Exile

Read more: Bloodshed and Bloodguilt

Links for today’s readings:

Links this weekend’s readings:

Readers’ Choice posts are selected by our readers:

Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 1.6-9; 17-19

Reflection: Two Meanings of Too — Readers’ Choice

Prayer for the week:

Read more: Praying as Music

Read more: One Who Can Reach

Links for today’s readings:

Readers’ Choice posts are selected by our readers:

Scripture Focus: Psalm 55.12-14; 17-21

Reflection: Good Discipleship but Wrong Master — Readers’ Choice

Prayer for the week:

Read more: Praising Christ’s Righteousness

Read more: Unsurprising Oppression

Links for today’s readings:

Readers’ Choice posts are selected by our readers:

Scripture Focus: Proverbs 23:4-5

Reflection: The Rat Race — Readers’ Choice

Prayer for the week:

Read more: Watch

Read more: Whose Table Are Your Feet Under?