While looking for something else one day, I came across a passage in Deuteronomy that did that for me...
Shortly before his death, Moses bestowed a blessing upon each of the tribes of Israel.
And of Benjamin he said, The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by him; and the LORD shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders. -Deut. 33:12
There are no other passages with references to shoulders quite like this one (I searched the concordance). So I pondered a bit...
The chest is, of course, between the shoulders. I wonder if that's what this passage is referring to when it says, "and he shall dwell between his shoulders."
In Isaiah 40:11, we are told, "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young."
John 13:23 says, "Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved."
The blessing in Deuteronomy 33 was directed to the Tribe of Benjamin, "the beloved of the LORD." John was called the beloved disciple, but WE, as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, are also "the beloved of the LORD." WE are "the elect of God, holy and beloved" (Col. 3:12).
The Lord says He will "gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom." WE are His lambs - His sheep. Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine." (John 10:14)
We can lean on His bosom, be carried in His bosom and dwell between His shoulders. This is our security zone, our haven of peace, our place of rest and an expression of His love. What a wonderfully blessed place to be! We simply have to choose to draw near. He is waiting for us with His arms open wide to fold us into His bosom, to carry us and to keep us there, close to His heart.
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us (1 John 3:1 )... that we should be privileged to "dwell between His shoulders"!
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