When he went ashore, he saw a large crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then he began to teach them many things.
Mark 6:34 NIV
Jesus had sent his disciples out on a preaching mission to the surrounding countryside. After they returned and reported the results to Jesus, he took them to a solitary place to rest. But there was no rest. The crowds saw where they were going, and thousands joined them.
Many of us would have been upset that our vacation plans had been ruined. But not Jesus. He had compassion for the crowd. He had what they needed. And he put their needs ahead of his own. He saw them as sheep without a shepherd and began to teach them and then fed them.
Seeing them as sheep without a shepherd did not reflect negatively on the crowd. It was not their fault that their spiritual leaders, the priests and teachers of the law, had abandoned them, leaving them to wander in a spiritual wilderness without a shepherd.
But, unlike those shepherds who cared only for themselves, Jesus cared for his flock, teaching and caring for their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. And, through the work of the Holy Spirit, he continues to teach and care for his flock. He is the good shepherd of Psalm 23. He knows our weaknesses, our struggles, and our needs. And we can trust him to care for us.
The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
Psalm 23 NIV
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.
One of my favorite scriptures. I always read this especially in times of trouble. Amen