On the Navajo reservation where I live there is plenty of grass among the trees and in the mountains. I usually do all the sheep herding when I am home. I love sheep and take them out to where there is water and lots of grass. I like to see them graze and grow fat, and I love to sit in a quiet restful place and watch the little lambs follow their mothers.
One day my sister wanted to take the sheep out, and I told her to watch them carefully, especially my own little lamb. I had raised it and given it a name, and wherever I went there it was beside me. When I called its name, it would come running to me.
Late that afternoon my sister came running to me and exclaimed, “I’m sorry, but I can’t find your lamb anywhere!” I didn’t get angry with her, but it nearly broke my heart to hear that my lamb was missing. We put the rest of the sheep in the corral and taking a flashlight, we started out to look for the lost lamb. I had also asked my father if he would help us in the search.
The night was chilly and I searched in many places, with tears running down my cheeks. I called and called but heard no cry. It got late, the coyotes were out howling, and my father said we would have to go home. He said he would look for my lamb in the morning.
I couldn’t sleep that night. All I could think of was my little lamb lost out there somewhere in the wild. When dawn came I didn’t wait for Father, but went on ahead. Presently I came to a Y in the path. Which direction should I go? On the left were high mountains, on the right valleys and deep gulleys. I decided to go to the right.
As I walked along I called out my lamb’s name. “I’ll never find it,” I thought; but then I prayed, “Lord, please help me find this lost sheep of mine.” I listened for a while, but heard nothing.
Then suddenly I did hear something. I called out, and a few seconds later I heard a faint “Ba-a-a-ah!” I called again but could not tell where the bleating came from. I kept on walking, and suddenly there it was! My little lamb’s head and feet were stuck in a big hole, and it was struggling pitifully to get out. I reached down, picked it up, and held it in my arms. I cried with joy and gladness and called out to the others that I had found my little lamb at last.
The Lord Jesus is the true Shepherd. “The Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.” John 10:1111I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (John 10:11). He is still seeking His lost sheep and gathering them around Himself. “All we like sheep have gone astray;... and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:66All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6).
The Bible tells us that God has given Jesus “a name which is above every name” (Phil. 2:99Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: (Philippians 2:9)). Whoever calls upon that name shall be saved (Rom. 10:1313For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13)). He gave His life for you, dear reader, and He’s waiting to hear your cry so that He can bring you safely home, just as I did my lost little lamb.
Jennie Yazzie
ML-07/29/1979