Where would we be without our good shepherd? Jesus Christ our precious Lord and savior, the one who washes and cleanses us from all of our sins. He removes all of our sinful feelings of rejection caused by the residual of sin. As I travel throughout the land evangelizing and preaching the word of God, often times people approach me after service and hand me envelopes, letters and prayer requests. Most of the time I place them in my briefcase without reading the notes or cards. Last week while looking through my briefcase I stumbled across an unsigned letter. I read and it blessed me so I thought that I would mention some of it in this week’s column.
What happens to a little lamb that is rejected by its mother?
It hangs its head so low it looks as if it is beyond depressed. Every once in a while a ewe will give birth to a lamb and reject it. There are a lot of reasons she may do this. Like us we’re often rejected for earthly reasons such as hatred or racism or for reasons we created. If the shepherd tries to return the lamb to the mother it might even kick the baby away, she will never change her mind or heart and accept the lamb as her own.
These little lambs will hang their heads so low that ti looks like something is wrong with their little necks. Their spirit is broken. These lambs are called bummer lambs. Unless the shepherd intervenes, the little lamb will die-rejected and alone.
Do you know what the shepherd does? The Shepherd will take the rejected little lamb into his home, hand feed it and keep it warm. He will wrap it up with blankets and hold it to his chest so the little lamb can hear his heartbeat. Once the lamb is strong enough the shepherd will place it back in the field with the rest of the flock.
The sheep never forgets the shepherd’s love and care the shepherd gave it when it was rejected. When the shepherd calls for the flock, guess which sheep runs first? The sheep that remembered the shepherd’s mercy. The scripture tells us int John10:4-5: “When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
In fact we come to know the Shepherds voice through the many times He has rescue and saved us.
The bummer lamb isn’t loved more, it just knows intimately the one who loves it. It trusts the shepherd because it has experienced love from the shepherd. Many of us were bummer lambs, rejected and broken.
But Jesus is the good Shepherd. He cares for our every need and holds us close to His heart so we can hear His heartbeat. We may be broken but we are deeply loved by the Shepherd who will never leave us or forsake us.
(John 10:9-10) 9 “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.[a] They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Thank you for finding these lost souls and bringing them to Jesus.
After I read this my soul cried out THANK YOU GOD FOR ALLOWING US IN AND OUT THROUGH THE GATE AND FINDING GOOD PASTURE AND GIVING US LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY! AMEN
PEACE AND LOVE,
—Pastor Dwayne
