This serene painting of Jesus next to a calm river echoes the oft-quoted psalm: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters" (Psalm 23:1-2).

It's a calming peace, perfect for any home or place of worship.

The influence of Jesus Christ in our lives does not eliminate our struggles. But it does give them meaning, and it gives us something to hold on to when everything around us feels like it is collapsing. 

This painting of Him holding two lambs illustrates what it feels like to feel the warm embrace of our Lord and Savior. 

The path that Christ offers is not easy. But, like a practiced shepherd, He knows the layout of the land. He knows the safest paths to the best nourishment. If we trust Him, even when our surroundings appear dark, we will never regret it.

We love this abstract version of the Good Shepherd. It has a way of inviting people to pause and ponder the meaning, each line guiding the eye repeatedly through the piece. 

What insights do you see? Let us know in the comments!

One of the reasons that a shepherd is such a good metaphor for Chris is because it implies that He is a guide. He is not a tyrannical leader who forces others to follow His will. Rather, He gently watches, nudges, calls, and guides us to where He knows we will find the most joy and fullfillment. 

The prophet Isaiah describe Jesus as "despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief" (Isaiah 53:3). 

He understands our personal struggles and sorrows and, with time and some faith on our part, will help us find healing. Not only personal healing, but also the ability to use our experiences to help heal others. 

This second piece by Jorge Cocco is interesting because it shows the Good Shepherd bending beneath His load of the sheep. 

Many pieces of artwork show Christ standing upright when He carries the lost sheep, but we like the subtle way that this painting harks back to Jesus' suffering in Gethsemane. He suffered our pains and afflictions so that He would know how to carry us. How to succor us. 

Simon is a master at creating flawless religious scenes. From the smooth textures to the gentle lighting, his paintings always feel like a breath of fresh air. This panorama is no exception, with the flock of sheep grazing peacefully beneath Jesus' watchful care.

The Good Shepherd invites all into His fold. This painting by Robert Boyd shows Christ extending His hands toward us and smiling, as if inviting us to step into the scene and join the flock gathered around His feet. 

This painting comes directly on Simon's panorama shown earlier in this blog. The focus is entirely on Jesus and the lamb in His lap rather than the expansive landscape and flowing river. 

This special focus reminds us that Jesus didn't just save the human family as a whole, but He has a very individual relationship with each of us as well. 

Doc Christensen has a very classic style, as seen in this lovely painting of Jesus leading a small flock of sheep. 

It is insightful to note that Jesus' gaze isn't riveted on the path ahead but rather on the lambs themselves. He is much more concerned about them than about quickly reaching a destination.

Jorge's painting is unique in that it shows the lamb midway between tumbling down a dark chasm and allowing the shepherd's eager efforts to lead it back to safe ground. 

The shepherd is reaching as far as He can, and pulling with great strength, but the lamb looking back at Him seems to imply that the lamb's destionation ultimately is its choice. 

Eva's pictures of the Savior never show His face, leaving it up to each person's interpretation. Here, we see Him walking with a black sheep on His shoulders. His hold on the lamb is gentle but secure, as if relieved He has found the lost sheep and not wanting to lose it again.

This painting by Robert Barrett is very interesting. Jesus stands some distance away from the lost sheep with his hand extended, as if beckoning it to return to Him. He is not forceful. It is more like He is trying to reason with the sheep, which watches Him closely. His appraoch to us is often very similar when we begin to wander from what we know is true and right. 

Jesus is portrayed as physically strong in this painting, emphasizing His ability to guard and protect. Doc, the artist, chose to show a peaceful background behind the Savior. Meanwhil, the lost sheep stands in the shadows, surrounded by rough rocks. It's a subtle shift in landscape, but we think the symbolism brings a lot of insight.

Justine's unique painting style brings us the familiar scene of Jesus carrying a lamb, but but overlayed with flecks of gold. We love she portrays Jesus' love for the lost lamb, especially in relation to her title: "The One". 

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True to Lightweave's style, they approach this subject with a light-filled, joyful tone. The lamb looks so young and innocent with its large ears and Jesus has a smile on His face while the sun shines behind them. 

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)

Jesus shows us the way in everything, including in how to love and serve those around us. This picture by Eva Koleva Timothy shows Christ feeding a sheep with a young woman helping. Often, all we have to do is bring our loves ones to the Savior while He does the actual feeding. 

The theme of purity in this photograph is eyecatching. From the white blossoms, sheep, and Christ's robe all cooridinate to create a Heavenly scene. 

A true leader doesn't just create followers, but more leaders. This is exactly how the Good Shepherd works. He does not expect us to just sit and watch for the sidelines. Rather, He would see us develop our individual gifts and play a key role in lifting and healing the human family. And He will show us how.