Pastors according to mine heart

Scripture:- And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. Jeremiah 3:15

Observation: Moving on to Jeremiah Chapter 3, we see the Lord calling to Israel and Judah to repent and turn back to Him, and one of the promises He made to them was that He would give them pastors according to the Lord’s own heart, who would feed them with knowledge and understanding.

After the Lord’s resurrection, He called out Peter again to commission him to take care of His church. Three times the Lord asked Peter “Do you love me?” and then commissioned Peter to feed His sheep, His lambs. The main role of pastors and leaders of the church is to feed the congregation, with knowledge and understanding of the ways of God.

What sets aside a good pastor or a good shepherd? It is one who seeks God’s heart, who wants to know what is important to God and teach the people accordingly. A pastor who focuses on himself and his own glory does not have a heart according to God’s heart. His main priority is his own pride and not God’s glory.

How do we know if a pastor is after the heart of God? We can see much in his attitude to Jesus. If he is in love with Jesus, and this love shows in his speech, and action, we know he is a good pastor. As emphasized by the apostle John, God is love, and whoever knows God must walk in love. The pastor who loves God and love his people is a good shepherd, for he walks after the Lord Himself who is the Good Shepherd, who knows his sheep and whose sheep knows Him.

Application:- Not all of us are called to be pastors or leaders, but all of us are called to seek God’s heart, like King David of old. Though a young shepherd boy, he was dearly loved by God because of the way he looked for God. He was a man after God’s own heart. Pray too for our pastors and leaders, that they may have a heart after God’s own heart, for in so doing, they will be wonderful pastors and shepherd indeed.

Prayer:- Lord, help me to have a heart which is after Your own, that I may know Your will – what You love and what is important to You. I lift up to You, Lord, my Pastors, my leaders. Grant them a heart after Your own, that they may serve You in deep love and knowledge and understanding. In Jesus name, Amen.