THE Bible is a wonderful book, and in it are many wonderful things. The Bible, too is a very beautiful book, full of striking pictures, though sometimes little boys and girls do not see them. I think one of the most beautiful pictures in God’s Word is where Jesus says “I am the Good Shepherd.”
Now, no doubt, most of you know what a shepherd is, though some of my little friends in large towns and cities, who are shut in with bricks and mortar, (as we sometimes say,) and who never get a taste of the fresh and beautiful country air, may not have seen one.
A shepherd is one whose work it is to take care of the sheep—to feed them and watch them, lest they should stray away. Sometimes a sheep strays away into some dangerous place on the mountain, where the shepherd has to follow, until he hears the poor thing bleating, and then he brings it safely back again to the fold. We read of sheep in many places in the Bible. The prophet Isaiah says, “All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Isa. 53:66All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6). And again he says, “He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom.” (Isa. 40:1111He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. (Isaiah 40:11).)
What does Jesus mean, when He says, “I am the Good Shepherd?” Surely He was not a real shepherd; we never read about Jesus having to keep sheep, and yet He claims to be the Good Shepherd. I just now said, a shepherd’s work was to feed and take care of the sheep, and Jesus meant, when He said, “I am the Good Shepherd,” that He was the Shepherd of men, women, and little children. If we read the Bible, we shall find that Jesus did take care of men, women, and children. Once He fed five thousand people who were hungry, and at another time four thousand. He raised the little daughter of Jairus, who was dead, to life again. O, what a comforter Jesus must have been to the little girl’s father and mother, when they found that He had brought their little daughter back to life again. When the only son of the poor widow of Nain was being carried to the grave, followed by his sorrowing mother, Jesus had compassion on her, and raised the dead son to life.
O, what tender compassion Jesus must have had, when He said to the mothers of the little lambs, (as we call them,) after the rude disciples had pushed them back, “Suffer the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Mark 10:1414But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. (Mark 10:14).
My dear children, the Saviour wants all of you to be His lambs. He wants you to let Him take you in His arms, and shield you against the storms of life. Won’t you be the Saviour’s lambs? He has loved us, and given Himself for us and now He wants to save all of us and have us for His own.
ML 05/19/1918