THIS is the name the artist gave this picture. It is early morning and the shepherd begins the day aright. Do all our readers do the same? “My voice shalt Thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee, and will look up.” Psalm 5:33My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. (Psalm 5:3).
The sheep have spent the night safely in the fold. The faithful dogs have done their duty.
While their master offers up prayer and thanksgiving to God, they remain at his side awaiting orders.
The shepherd has rested during the night in this covered wagon. Notice that the end of the wagon toward the sheep is open. The least stir in the fold, or bark of the dogs, would awaken him. He is a good shepherd, like David of old, who took such good care of his father’s sheep, that when a lion and a bear came out to devour them, he slew the lion and bear. No hireling would do this. David was not, neither is this shepherd.
The sheep know his voice. Though sometimes stupid, the sheep learn quickly to know when a stranger calls them.
On a farm in the west, one evening, I tried calling the sheep into the fold from the darkening woods. The shepherd was standing close by, but the more I called, the farther they ran away. Then the voice they knew called them. The sheep came at once and entered their fold.
What a peaceful scene this picture shows us! Many of the sheep are still resting, while others are ready to leave at the shepherd’s bidding to go out and find pasture.
This teaches us a good lesson. What a sense of security to be under the Good Shepherd’s care. There are lambs in this flock too, and they will get the special care of the shepherd. So the Lord cares for the young believers. He knows better than any the temptations of this world. But if any reader is not a believer he cannot claim that special care. The unsaved have none of that peace, which those have who trust in the blessed Saviour and they cannot know what real happiness is. The reader who trusts in Jesus, the Saviour of sinners, is indeed happy.
“HAPPY IS HE THAT HATH THE GOD OF JACOB FOR HIS HELP, WHOSE HOPE IS IN THE LORD HIS GOD.” Ps. 146:5.
ML 10/10/1909