He will feed His flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in His
arms, holding them close to His heart. He will gently lead the
mother sheep with their young. Isaiah 40 verse 11 How soothing in the hour of sorrow,
or bereavement, or death, To have the countenance and sympathy
of a tender earthly friend. Reader, these words tell you
of one nearer, dearer, tenderer still, The friend that never
fails, a tender God. By how many endearing epithets
does Jesus exhibit the tenderness of His relation to His people?
Does a shepherd watch tenderly over his flock? The Lord is my
shepherd. Does a father exercise fondest
solicitude towards his children? I will be a father unto you. Does a mother's love exceed all
other earthly types of affection? As one whom His mother comforts,
so will I comfort you. Is the apple of the eye, the
pupil, the most sensitive part of the most delicate bodily organ? He guards His people as the apple
of His eye. He will not break the bruised
reed. When the shepherd and guardian
of souls finds the sinner, like a lost sheep, stumbling on the
dark mountains, how tenderly he deals with him. There is no
look of wrath, no word of upbraiding. In silent love he lays him on
his shoulders, rejoicing. Reader, are you mourning over
the weakness of your faith, the coldness of your love, your manifold
spiritual declensions? Fear not, He knows your frame. He will give feeble faith tender
dealing. He will carry in His arms those
that are unable to walk and will conduct the burdened ones through
a path less rough and rugged than others. When the lion or
the bear comes, you may trust the true David, the tenderest
of shepherds. Are you suffering from outward
trial? Confide in the tenderness of
your God's dealings with you. The strokes of his rod are gentle
strokes. The needed discipline of a father
yearning over his children at the very moment he is chastising
them. The gentlest earthly parent may
speak a needlessly harsh word at times, but not so God. He may seem, like Joseph to his
brethren, to speak roughly, but all the while there is love in
his heart. The pruning knife will not be
used unnecessarily, it will never cut too deeply. The furnace will
not burn more fiercely than is absolutely required. A tender
God is seated by it, tempering the fury of its flames. And what, believer, is the secret
of all this tenderness? There is a man upon the throne,
Jesus, the God-man-mediator, Combining with the might of Godhead
the tenderness of spotless humanity. Is your heart crushed with sorrow? So was His. Are your eyes dimmed
with tears? So were His. Jesus wept. Bethany's chief mourner still
wears the brother's heart in glory. Others may be unable to
enter into the depths of your trial. Jesus can. Jesus does. With such a tender
God, caring for me, providing for me, watching my path by day
and guarding my couch by night, I will lie down and sleep in
peace, for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4 verse 8. This Puritan devotional has been
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