He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; He gently leads those that have young.
Isaiah 40:11 When we think of sheep, we often think of fluffy, little lambs that look adorable. But the reality is something entirely different. I can tell you from first-hand experience that sheep are noisy, smelly and not very bright. Without a shepherd to take care of them and make sure they’re penned in properly, they’ll wander off and get lost. Or worse, sheep will face threats from their many natural enemies.
In Isaiah and throughout scripture we have a picture of Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd (Psalm 23, John 10). Not only does He provide for his sheep and protect them, He takes care of them in a way no one else ever would. He picks the lambs up and holds them like a parent holding their own children, cradling them like little babies. Of course, we’re the sheep in this imagery – the loud, stinky creatures that are pretty stupid. But we have a good shepherd who loves us beyond anything we could ever imagine. He gives us boundaries and keeps us from heading off on our own – into certain danger. He holds off threats from the enemies that would do us serious harm. He carries us next to his heart when we need comfort. It really is no accident that actual shepherds were the ones to be the first witnesses to the birth of Jesus Christ, the greatest Shepherd of all. Laura Shafer |
