Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 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 Isaiah 40:10–11 esv
Have you ever given much thought to God’s arms? (“God has arms?” you might be wondering.) When God describes His arms, He doesn’t tell us their circumference or how much He can lift—those are human, physical terms, like the jock showing off at the gym. But God’s description of His arms tells us some awesome things about Him. In fact, the dual description of God’s arms in this passage shows us His power and His comfort.
“Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him.” When the Bible talks about God’s right arm, it refers to His powerful, ruling arm—His justice, His holiness, and His strength. God is like that. He is all that and more.
But then the very next verse describes His tender shepherd arm. “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.” If you’ve spent any time in church, sadly you’ve probably heard one extreme or the other: a ton of preaching about the transcendent, holy, awesome Judge or a ton of preaching about the tender, loving, merciful Shepherd. But He’s both, right? In this passage we clearly see both. Don’t let God’s nearness minimize His transcendence nor let His transcendence make you think He isn’t very aware of you individually.
Imagine a shepherd in the fields, and this gives you a picture of God. A shepherd can oversee hundreds of sheep, but he holds only one at a time. He gathers the lambs one by one in his arms. The point here is that this awesome God cares for you. Personally. Individually. Yes, He’s guarding a big flock, but when He cares for the lambs, He tends to them one by one. This is God’s love for you. Personal. Individual. Attentive. Aware. Devoted. That’s how He cares for you.
When He carries His lambs, He holds them “in his bosom.” Picture that. He doesn’t hold us awkwardly squirming at arms’ length. No, He draws us close, right to His own heart.
And He will “gently lead those that are with young.” The sheep that is about to give birth is vulnerable, with unique needs. And the shepherd accommodates those needs. In the same way, when our needs are great, the Lord is that much more attentive to us. Some of us are at a point of acute need right now in our business or in our family. God knows what it is. And just as pressing as that need is, His attention matches that. He’s on it! He is right there, gently leading those whose circumstances demand additional care.
So which one is He – mighty or tender? Yes. His arm is a picture of absolute power and unconditional love.
That’s your King. That’s your Shepherd.
Journal
Pray
As I behold You, my Lord God, I am in awe of who You are. You are the King. You rule the universe with Your feet up. Absolute power. You are also my Shepherd. You lovingly hold me close and tend to my heart. Absolute love. Open my eyes that I may see You more clearly, and stir in me fresh worship and love for You. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
The Eternality of God
Psalm 90
Our finite minds often struggle to grasp the truths about God. He is greater, more powerful, and more present than we can comprehend. The God of the universe is infinite and eternal.
That’s why we must anchor ourselves in the Scriptures—and I’m glad we can do that together today. So open your Bibles to Psalm 90 and join us as we explore The Eternality of God!
New Power for the Divided
John 21:15-19
Indecision can be deadly. As the Prophet Elijah challenged, “How long will you waver between two opinions” (I Kings 18:21)? In the New Testament, James wrote that “a double-minded man [is] unstable in all his ways” (1:8).
If you think the Lord is standing over your struggle with judgment or condemnation, you don’t truly know the God we serve.
Jesus Christ brings new power to divided hearts that yield to Him. Let’s find the key to move ourselves from indecision to total surrender…
New Power for the Destitute | John 21:1-14
New Power Over Doubts
John 20:24-29
How should those truths affect your life?
Seeing God’s awesomeness, the prophet Isaiah shrieked: “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips…” (Isaiah 6:5).
Bottom line? In Christ, we’re not better than anyone. We are simply and astonishingly forgiven.
Let’s get into this good news!
More Biblical Evidences of the Holy Spirit
John 14:16-18
Non-Evidences of The Holy Spirit | 1 Corinthians 12
Would your life be more manageable if Jesus was right beside you?
While that may seem implausible, experiencing the presence and power of Christ is far from impossible – if you are filled with the Holy Spirit.
Are you? How can you be certain? Let’s learn together from God’s Word…
If you’re feeling under resourced or carrying a heavy load, it’s no surprise. God has made no provision for you to live the Christian life on your own.
You’re not strong enough or committed enough, none of us are. God has just one provision for us to live a life of joyful obedience in Christ – the Holy Spirit.
And how does the Holy Spirit help? You’re about to find out, in this never before aired message straight from the Scriptures…
Rejecting the voice of Rejection
Genesis 37-40
If you’re stuck where best thinking has got you, it’s time to change your thinking.
God won’t force Himself into your heart, but He does want to change you and heal the hurt behind your destructive behaviors.
How does change happen? Often, change begins with a crisis; the journey of changing is a process. The process of change is hard work.
And if you fail in the process? Return to the crisis. Remember why you began this journey and get help that will help you continue.
Let’s Reject the Voice of Rejection. Refuse to accept what our failures say – and lean into how the God who made us sees us.