Dear friends in Christ,
A couple of weeks ago, I was in New Haven, CT. While there, I visited the Yale University Art Gallery. Among other treasures, the museum holds artifacts and art from ancient Syria, including interior art from one of the oldest known churches in the world. (If you want to read more about it, look up “Dura-Europos”.)
The image shown here depicts Jesus Christ as a shepherd, with a lamb across his shoulders. If the picture is a bit hard to read, there’s a good reason! It dates from the first half of the third century, painted around 230 CE or so. It is possibly the oldest known painted image of Jesus Christ.
The ancient church favored images of Jesus as a shepherd. They viewed their Lord and Savior as a figure who cares for us, feeds us, and protects us. Ancient peoples, long before Jesus dwelled with us, thought of God our Father this way, too. Psalm 23 beautifully praises our God who provides what we need and who is our companion on all our journeys.
Shepherds are not distant figures. They get right into the thick of it with their flock. This is how we should think of God. We are never alone. Whatever pastures we find or valleys we must endure, we are never abandoned.
When the world seems scary, remember that God is with us.
Yours faithfully,
Scott Gunn
Executive Director
More from our ministry:
Carry prayer with you no matter what you face: Prayers for All Occasions
Follow our Lord throughout the Bible: The Path
Images of God throughout the natural world: The Creation Care Bible Challenge