The Loving Shepherd

● An observer who watched shepherds with their flocks upon the slopes of Mt. Hermon in the Middle East tells of their loving care for the sheep in their charge. “Each shepherd watched his flock closely to see how they fared. When he found a new-born lamb he put it in the folds of his aba, or great coat, since it would be too feeble to follow the mother. When his bosom was full, he put lambs on his shoulders, holding them by the feet, or in a bag or basket on the back of a donkey, until the little ones were able to follow the mothers.” Jehovah used such a touching scene in pastoral life to help us appreciate his loving concern for his people as stated in Isaiah 40:10, 11.