In the fourth word picture for God, we consider the common image of God as the good shepherd and we as his sheep.
God, as the good shepherd, is caring, protective, patient, brave, wise, sacrificial, and most significantly, knows us by name.
Sheep, are known as being not too intelligent, easily getting into trouble and frequently needing to be rescued, but they do know the voice of the shepherd, usually going to him when he calls.
[See Psalm 119:176, Isaiah 53:6, Ezekiel 34:11, Matthew 9:36, John 10:3, John 10:15, John 10:27, and 1 Peter 2:25.]
Check out A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 for a more in-depth and insightful consideration of this word picture.
A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.