“Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs And carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.” — Isaiah 40:11 (NASB95)
This verse is the basis of a lot of beautiful pictures of Jesus carrying a lamb in His arms. This is quite a contrast to the wrath-filled God who is going to destroy Israel and Judah because of their sin. So, what’s going on? Does God have two personalities? Is He maybe passive-aggressive? Of course not! What you are seeing is the true heart of God. Centuries ago, theologians coined the phrase “alien characteristic” to describe the wrath of God. What they were trying to say is that, by nature, God is not wrathful; He is love! But when sin entered the realms of humanity an “alien characteristic” called wrath and judgment arose from God’s holiness.
The point of all that is to say that once sin is taken care of, God no longer needs that alien characteristic. Jesus bore our sins on the cross and bore the wrath and judgment of God in our stead. Hence today we are able to experience God’s love and grace. To us, He is, and always will be, a Good Shepherd who cares for us like lambs and sheep. He will guide, comfort, protect and lead us through this life because of His great love for us.
Be comforted today that you are being tended to by the loving hands of your Good Shepherd.
Peace!
Pastor Tom
www.firmlyrooted.church
