“As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear Him.” (Psalms 103:13)
The third title for the coming Christ given to the prophet Isaiah is Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6). Jesus is the Everlasting Father. He has compassion for us as a father has compassion for his children. He listens with compassion to all our pain, fears, complaints, and prayers. Under His care, His protection, and His provision, we are safe and will be gratified for eternity.
I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. (John 10:14)
Among the various images of Jesus Christ depicted in the Bible, Jesus as the good Shepherd is the one that I have loved most since my childhood. Hymns that describe the stories and the relationships of the good Shepherd and His sheep are also my favorite.
Recently, some brothers and sisters who had not come to church in a long time came back to attend service. I was both surprised and glad to see them again. When I told other members that they had returned, they also reacted with surprise and joy. However, our reactions made me realize one thing – in a sense, we were surprised because we were not expecting them to come back. In a sense, though we must have prayed for these lost sheep at one point in time, we were surprised because for a long time, we may have forgotten about them.