Dearly Beloved | Vol. 03
“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me.” (John 10:14)
When I hold the tiny sculpture of a lamb resting upon a shepherd’s staff, it invites me to linger with this paradox: Christ as both Shepherd and Sacrifice. He is the One who leads, and He is the One who lays down His life. The Lamb bound to the staff is not a victim, but the fulfillment of divine love—“the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
The Good Shepherd Necklace was originally carved by Jake and released 2023, right before Easter that year.
Psalm 23 may be the most recognizable psalm in the world, whispered at hospital bedsides and recited in seasons of grief and comfort alike. “Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” The shepherd’s staff is not merely pastoral or gentle. It is also a weapon, wielded against predators that threaten the flock. The same staff that fends off the enemy is the one that draws the sheep close, hooking gently around the neck to pull them back when they wander too far. Comfort and correction are held together in the shepherd’s hand.
In this pendant, the crook of the staff curves around the Lamb’s head, set with 23 diamonds—a visual echo of Psalm 23 itself. It is a reminder that the comfort we receive comes at great cost. The Shepherd does not merely guide from a distance; He bears wounds, He enters danger – He becomes the sacrifice. The Lamb wears a crown of victory, not of defeat. His suffering is not the end of the story.
Around Him shines a halo of light, pointing us beyond the present age to the promised future—the Holy City, the New Jerusalem. Scripture tells us that the eternal city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb (Revelation 21:23). Jesus Himself declares, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). The Lamb who was slain is also the eternal source of illumination, guidance, and life.
Beloved, this Shepherd has drawn near to you. The crook of His staff is not poised in threat, but in invitation. In a world marked by noise, fear, and distraction, it is easy to wander—to drift toward self-reliance or despair. Yet the Lamb of God gently pulls us back, closer to His heart, closer to Truth.
Scripture calls us, “Consecrate yourselves” (2 Chronicles 35:6). To consecrate is to set oneself apart, to respond intentionally to God’s nearness. This is the hour to draw near—to lay down distractions, to return to awe, to remember that we are known and loved by the Shepherd who became the Lamb.
And as we draw near, we join the song already resounding in heaven:
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!” (Revelation 5:12)
May our lives echo this declaration. May we find comfort in His staff, courage in His victory, and light in His presence—until the day when the Lamb Himself is our lamp forever.
With you in Belovedness,
Hannah
