"He gathers the lambs in His arms
and carries them close to His heart."
Isaiah 40:11
The Bible is a book that paints word pictures of God. One of those pictorial images is about the Shepherd and His sheep. The analogy is repeated again and again. God is the Shepherd of His people. We are like the sheep of His pasture. We see it in the Old Testament, and we see Jesus as that good Shepherd in the New Testament. It's a vivid picture of our relationship with God.
Isaiah sees God carrying His lambs in His arms, close to His heart. Normally, a shepherd did not carry his sheep. However, when they were injured, he would gently carry them and care for them. Literally, the lamb was close to his heart. What a beautiful analogy of our personal relationship with God. He always leads us in the right path. Yet, when we are injured and helpless, He carries us close to His heart. It's during times of sickness, suffering and grief, that we often experience that closeness to God. Then, He carries us close to his heart.
Sometime we may feel closer to God than at other times. We may always hear the Shepherd's voice through the Bible. He is always there for us. By faith we acknowledge His presence. However, there are those special times, when we feel so near to His heart. As we let go of our burdens, problems and cares, His everlasting arms support us. When we are ready to give up, He is ready to lift us up. We are near to God's heart.
Gentle Shepherd, carry us close to Your heart.
