Isaiah 40:9-11 is the text for today.
Go up on a high mountain, O herald Zion!
Shout out loudly, O herald Jerusalem!
Shout, don’t be afraid!
Say to the towns of Judah,
“Here is your God!”
10
Look, the sovereign Lord comes as a victorious warrior;
his military power establishes his rule.
Look, his reward is with him;
his prize goes before him.
11
Like a shepherd he tends his flock;
he gathers up the lambs with his arm;
he carries them close to his heart;
he leads the ewes along.
Last Sunday my husband, who teaches our adult sunday school class, was teaching on Psalm 23, a psalm of David, comparing how God cares for His children to how a shepherd cares for his sheep. The metaphor is difficult for us to comprehend, as most of us today do not deal in an agrarian society. But, in the Old Testament, the comparison of God's relationship with His people to a shepherd with his sheep is seen often. Shepherds caring for flocks of sheep were a common sight in that day. And, in the New Testament Christ, too, uses this picture.
We read here in Isaiah 40 that the shepherd cares for his sheep in several ways:
1. tends the flock ("your rod and your staff -- they comfort me" Ps. 23:4b)
2. gathers up the lambs
3. carries the lambs close to his heart. ("I fear no evil, for you are with me." Ps. 23:4a)
4. leads the ewes along ("He leads me beside quiet waters." Ps. 23:2)
Jesus talks about how the Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep, in John 10:11. The enemies of the sheep seek to wound, kill and destroy them; the enemies bring death. Through His death, the Good Shepherd brings life out of death for each of us, first spiritual and then physical.
Later this week I'm looking forward to going to hear the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra's annual rendition of George Frederic Handel's masterwork oratorio, The Messiah, most notably, the Christmas portions of that work (Part 1). Listening to (or in some years singing) The Messiah always helps me prepare my heart to celebrate Jesus' birth. There is a well-known duet I've loved to sing, from that section. Here are some of the words that the librettist, Jennens, lifted loosely from Isaiah 40:11 - - -
"He shall feed his flock like a shepherd,
And he shall gather the lambs with his arm, with his arm.
And carry them in His bosom,
And gently lead those that are with young."
Often times, in the crazy days leading up to Christmas, we need for our Savior to "carry us close to His heart". He does this at all times; that is His promise. But, we don't often feel it. At especially harried times, we feel anything but. The toddler won't go to bed because he's scared of monsters. The alternator goes out on the car, leaving us stranded on the side of the road during a heavy rainstorm.
This past Sunday, I rose at 6:30, cooked for the Sunday School class, loaded the class tree's ornaments into the car, got dressed for church, posted the blog, and by the time I got into my car felt like someone needed to cheer and say, "encore! encore!!" This crazy time of year! For all of our running around, we cannot purchase peace...
Amy Grant recorded a song a few years ago that expresses this agitation:
I Need a Silent Night.
There have been many times that I've listened to it over the years with tears streaming down my face because of "Christmas pressure".
"I need a silent night, a holy night,
To hear an angel voice, through the chaos and the noise.
I need a midnight clear, a little peace right here
To end this crazy day, with a silent night."
Oh Father, thank you for this beautiful Advent morning! May we who know Him allow Jesus to carry us close to His heart, as we journey through this season. May He gently lead us closer to the manger, to adore Him. I pray we will not get so manic with our preparations that we forget to enjoy and celebrate The Reason for the Season. In Jesus' name, amen.
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