As I read these words, I was drawn to the thought of our Good Shepherd, and particularly to a favorite verse on this topic:
Isaiah 40:11 He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
The idea of the shepherd carries with it one of care: feeding, watering, protecting, guiding, correcting. The tenderness that comes through in the verse in Isaiah is amazing - that the shepherd gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them in his bosom. These seem to be clear signs of affection and of special care for those that are most vulnerable and weak. He will defend his flock against enemies. He will go in search of any that wander away and bring them back to safety so that none is lost.
Note, though, that the references to the tender mercies of God as our Shepherd are set against a backdrop in which His strength and power are clearly in view:
- In Psalm 28, David begins with a cry to God (since He is David’s rock) and a plea that He would hear him. He reviews the character of his enemies and appeals to God to do something about them. Then in confidence he asserts that God has heard him and that he has been helped because God is his strength and shield. Accordingly, David rejoices. He closes by saying that God is not just his strength and refuge, but that of His people as well. And having said all this about the strength and the power of God, we run into verse 9 (see above). Here is an appeal to the tender mercy of God as Shepherd - a plea that He would intervene and save His people precisely because they are weak and vulnerable.
- In Isaiah 40, the greatness of God once again is set alongside His mercy. From the opening cry of God to His people that they should take comfort, He quickly describes His purposes to send a Savior (v 3-5) and indicates that His purposes cannot be thwarted nor His word overturned - it stands forever (v 6-8), In v 9-10, He says He is coming, but with might and power. And from v 12 onwards He talks about how incomparable He is - how wise, how infinite, how incomprehensible, how vast, how powerful, how inexhaustible. And nestling in the middle of this description of the awesome God and His purposes to comfort and save His people, we have v 11 (see above), where He condescends to liken Himself to a shepherd for His people, and One Who is tenderhearted to them, but especially to the weak and the vulnerable. Just when we might question whether a God of such power could ever be moved with compassion for the weak and for the disadvantaged, He assures us that this is indeed the case!
There is so much comfort and encouragement in these verses:
- First, that our God is kind-hearted to us. He doesn’t break the bruised reed or snuff out the smoldering wick. He doesn’t abandon the sick and the weak but gathers them into His bosom. He feeds them, waters them, defends them, leads, guides and corrects them and will not lose a single one. Remember, too, that Jesus is described to us as a High Priest Who is touched with the feeling of our infirmities - tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.
- Second, that He backs up His compassion for us with His infinite might. It is one thing to express an intention to do something to help but if we do not possess the ability and the willingness, such words are empty and useless. However, there can be no doubt of the ability and the willingness of our God and Savior to save to the uttermost all those who come in faith to Him!
- Finally, the very weakness of God’s people seems to be a potent argument for Him to help us when we come to Him in time of need. It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but the sick. When we realize how feeble we are, and how foolish, and we come and confess that to God from our hearts, that is when He will move. “Lord, we are weak, but Your power is made perfect in weakness!” It is not until we have reached the end of our ingenuity and our plans and the totally ineffectual efforts we make in our own strength and wisdom that we can expect to see the beginning of the Right Hand of our God!
