ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
June 7, 2026
In Isaiah 66:13, the prophet writes:
As a mother comforts her child,
so I will comfort you;
you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
What images are important to you? People tend to love the image of God as the Good Shepherd, yet how many of us have known a shepherd well enough to provide a detailed description of what a good shepherd is like as compared to a bad shepherd? We are a bit more challenged in our modern context, but so many in the ancient world would have firsthand knowledge of a shepherd, or at least heard firsthand accounts of excellent shepherds who protected their flocks from danger or rescued a lost animal. Whenever scripture uses an image or metaphor for God, it usually has more to do with the attributes of whatever God is being compared to. God is not a smelly person desperately needing a shave who wanders the countryside getting paid to watch over other people’s animals. But there are attributes associated with a good shepherd that help us to understand God, along with a mother who comforts her child and a father who welcomes home a lost son and so many other wonderful images. When we are trying to talk about God who is infinite and mysterious, we need things that are a bit more accessible. This is where music, poetry, dance, painting, sculpture, and other expressions of art are also helpful. In the end, they are all seeking to evoke an experience of the God who will always be more than anything we can describe or know.
Thank you for being patient as I try to know you, Holy and Magnificent God. In those moments when I glimpse you, I am beyond thankful. And in those other moments when my glimpse captures something other than you, I pray for a little help in guiding me back to where I need to be. Amen.
