DEVOTION, 12/12/20 A comforting word

Isaiah 40:11 (NKJV)
“He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young.” See also Psalm 23.

Jesus described Himself as the Good Shepherd. Isaiah’s prophecy gives us insight into what Jesus will do for His people, as does Psalm 23. He leads us and feeds us like a shepherd. A shepherd must care for the sheep. He has to make sure they have food enough and that they are protected from wild animals. Jesus does that for us. As we trust in Him, He leads us to the still waters and the green pastures. He protects us from our enemies. No enemy we ever face is more powerful than Jesus, our Protector. I love the next picture.

He will take up His lambs into His arms and carry them close to His heart. Try to create a mental picture of this verse. You are being carried in the arms of Jesus. He holds you tightly in His arms. You are like a little lamb to Him. He loves you, and He cares for you. Nothing can harm you when you are under His care. As we trust Him more and more, we experience the reality of this verse. The popular “footprints” poem expresses this truth. Jesus carries His people in His arms through the dark valleys. And so we fear no evil. We are comforted by His rod and staff.  We are comforted knowing that He is with us always, and we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Father, I thank You for sending Jesus to us to be our Shepherd. I am so blessed when I close my eyes and see myself in the arms of Jesus. Lord Jesus, I thank You for being my Good Shepherd. I pray that my faith in You will grow ever stronger. May I never lose my deep appreciation for who You are and what You are doing for me. Amen.