Guarding and caring
I, the Lord God, say you shepherds of Israel are doomed! You take care of yourselves while ignoring my sheep. ~ Ezekiel 34:2b (CEV)
If your gift is service, devote yourself to serving. ~ Romans 12:7 (CEB)
Lord God, because you are full of compassion, you appoint people to serve as guards. They're to guard your people -- to care for them more than they care for themselves. I know that I'm not one of the most important shepherds but there are a few people whom you have entrusted to my care. Help me to care for them more than I care for myself. I worry too much about what is going to happen to me. I'm going to be faithful to my calling. Amen.
TRANSLATIONS
ABP = Authorized Boydston Paraphrase — my own freestyle biblical adaptation — somewhere between paraphrase, commentary, and sermon
CEB = Common English Bible (©2011, the Common English Bible)
CEV = Contemporary English Version (©1995, American Bible Society)
MSG = The Message (©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson)
NIRV = New International Reader's Version (©1996, 1998, Biblica)
NIV = New International Version (©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, Biblica)
NLT = New Living Translation (©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, Tyndale House Foundation)
