The shepherd, Covid19 and the Flock

It was a tense time for many students when we were informed to pay up our debts within two weeks by our Seminary. Many did not owe anything, some owed a reasonable amount, a few owed much and my wife and I owed twice as much what the next couple owed and when I was told that we would be asked to return home to collect the fees, which was a polite way to say we can no longer accommodate you as a student, the Lord gave me a certain resilient faith. I did not crack or backdown this time. I say this time because there was a time when I cracked and got angry that the Lord had left us. I was ready to leave the seminary and go back home and go back to my secular job then. I could not bear seeing my wife and children suffer. I thought it was unfair for the Lord to allow that to happen and brother Francois frantically tried to calm me down but I refused to be calmed down. This was a sinful moment of not trusting God for me. 

The Lord knew what He was going to do with our situation and just a few minutes before I finished lashing out, we heard a knock at the door and I went to open it and just there two brothers walked in the house with loads of groceries we had never seen in a long time. In fact, we couldn’t keep all of it to ourselves but had to give some out to other students who we thought were in need as well. I looked pretty stupid and like an unbeliever before brother Francois. But that was one of the ways the Lord showed me that I needed to trust Him completely. One thing was certain; He had called us and sent us to seminary to study. That I got straight into my heart and when my heart sank a little when we were given the deadline to pay our debts by the Seminary, and Clinton said “The Lord will do it, trust Him” [not actual words], my faith became strong I did not even take what the administration was telling us but I focused on God and that He is the one who sent us and that I did not send myself to Seminary over 2000 kilometres [1250 miles] away from the comfort of family, friends and the possibility of reclaiming our jobs. We have never been financially supported by any church that I pastored and so I could not call anyone and it was not them that sent me to seminary and not to the ministry either. I could not complain to them or begrudge them because I could see that this was between me and the One who sent me. I had to trust Him and go and plead my case to Him.

Now family is important and no one wants to see their wives and children suffer but I got to understand that when God called Abraham, He also had Sarah and his servants and animals in mind. He did not call Abraham to go to the land He would show him [Genesis 12:1-2,5f] on his own. He went with his wife and everything that belonged to him.   

Each time God sends His servants, He knows what He will do about their welfare. He knows the challenges they will face and how He will overcome them on their behalf. At one time when there were hungry crowds that followed Him the Lord told the disciples, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to Him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” [Matthew 6:37].  In John, Jesus asked Philip “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” [John 6:5] the following verse tells us “He said this to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do”. This means that He was in control of the situation and the Lord who is sovereign is in control during this time of covid19 and what we need to do is to make Hebrews 12:1-2 more practical in our lives:

 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God”. 

During the time of the exodus, the children looked at the approaching armies of Pharaoh and lost hope of deliverance. In stead of looking up to the pillar of cloud which guided and directed their journey, they looked at the enemy. This is pretty much what some believers are doing today. Rather than look to God, they look at what the enemy is doing and forget all the testimony and the great things He did before. Remember the Israelites had just witnessed 10 plagues that had hit the Egyptians hard and not touched a single one of them but they still focused more on what the enemy could do. 

Yes, the enemy was real. Pharaoh and his armies, chariots and soldiers trained for war but the Hebrews only knew how to work the land and to mould bricks. They were not trained for war and God wanted to train them a different kind of war “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds” [2 Corinthians 10:4]. He does train us to fight as the Psalmist also wrote, “Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle” [Palm 144:1], see also Psalm 18:34, 44:3-4, 60:12; 2 Samuel 22:35 and Ephesians 6:10-11. Yes, we have an enemy and that enemy is real, active, powerful but not all-powerful, dangerous and he is roaring like a lion seeking someone to devour [1 peter 5:8].

When the Lord sends His servants, He sends them as the Commander in Chief. He knows where the enemy is and He knows the challenges that His servants will face. But His is not just the knowledge of the battlefield but He has the ability to win every war. He enables His servants to win every fight He sends them. When He sent the disciples, He said “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” [Matthew 10:16]. He knew He was sending them as sheep into a territory infested with wolves, wars, covid19, cancers, diabetes, ALS, hunger, the loss of loved ones and many more kinds of enemies but He also told them as He does us today, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I am sending you” [John 20:21] and Paul encourages us to, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer” [Romans 12:12]. And lest we forget as shepherds we need to remember what the Lord Himself said, “Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will also keep yours.” [John 15:20].

What should be the heart of the shepherd during this time of Covid19?

As shepherds, we have no greater example to follow than the Lord Himself. He knew everything that was going to happen, all the trials, tribulation and temptations and instead of focusing on them, He told Peter, “Feed My lambs … Tend My Flock … and Feed My Sheep” [John 21:15-17]. It is this time that the church needs to be fed rather than the shepherds to feed themselves {Ezekiel 34:2]. The sheep are in desperate times right now and need to be encouraged. As shepherds, we should not be looking at our own welfare right now. God is able to take care of us the way He wants. Shepherds generally live lives of hardship and the church has entered that time now as a result of the lockdowns and restrictions. Business is low and some have been forced to close theirs down. Where should they turn to? To whom should they look? I believed the command to the shepherd is still the same. Feed, tend and feed the flock of God which is under your care. Show them where you are looking to, show them Jesus. Show them Jesus through your service while observing the fact that Covid19 is real. Take all the necessary precaution to avoid infecting or exposing the members especially those who are more vulnerable. But make sure that you fulfil your call. You are still on mission. Help the weak, seek their good. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep [John 10:11] but the hireling will not remain but runs away when the wolf of persecution, trial, hunger, disease, comes [John 10:12-13].

It is possible for shepherds to stand on one of two mountains now as a result of the situation the world is facing right now. You can minister from mount Sinai or you can minister from Calvary. The choice is yours but I am encouraged by Paul the apostle who wrote, “Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. [2 Corinthians 11:24-27]. The church knew his sufferings but he never blamed them for the hardship. He also never spoke from Sinai, instead he proved his joy in the Lord to them that while he was in jail, he gave them a double reminder to “Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice”, and not be anxious [Philippians 4:4-7].

Having gone through all this, Paul exudes the heart of the shepherd during hard times saying “And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. [2Co 11:24-28]. Paul did not have a sinful sense of entitlement. He desired the good of the church and he knew the Lord was able to take care of him whatever situation he was, which is why he wrote, “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me”. [Philippians 4:12-13]. 

Shepherds must be thankful to the Lord when He raises or sends people helpers to give every support they may need in the warfare. It may be a word of encouragement, counsel, prayer, material or financial supply. All these are good. God will do it, but shepherds must look to Jesus and seek the good of their flock first during this time of Covid19. Look to Jesus shepherd and though the times are hard and some may be bruised and hurt and others die, shepherds must “Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them” [Isaiah 3:10], “strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” [Acts 14:22] because “… we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose” {Romans 8:28, NIV]. 

God is working.

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About The Author:

Pastor Sam Machacka is co-founder of Brink Ministries Southern Africa. A wonderful colleague and good friend. Equipping Pastors and Church leaders in Southern Africa. He grew up in Harare, Zimbabwe with his beautiful wife Mildred and they are blessed with three lovely children namely Samantha, Munashe and Joshua but they are now serving as missionaries in Malawi since August 2018

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