IN THE HOUSE next to Donald’s home there lived a family with several children. One of them was a little girl called Joy. She was very ill, and the doctors could do nothing to make her better. Donald and his sister often went in next door to talk to Joy, so that she would not feel so lonely when her brothers and sisters played outside.
Joy’s little bed had been put close to the window, so that as she lay there, she could look out and see the trees and the green fields. One morning, she noticed that there were some little lambs in the field nearest to her house.
“Mother,” she said, “those lambs belong to Farmer Brown.”
“Yes, dear,” answered Mother. “So they do.”
“And I belong to Jesus,” said Joy. “I am one of His little lambs.”
Only a few days later, the Good Shepherd took His little lamb to be forever with Himself. What a comfort it was to her parents to know that their little girl had come to know the Lord in this way before she died!
When Donald was told what Joy had said, it made a great impression on him, because at that time, he could not have said with any ceainty that he belonged to Jesus. He often heard how the Good Shepherd laid down His life for the sheep (John 10:11,1511I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (John 10:11)
15As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. (John 10:15)) when He died on the Cross; and that the Lord Jesus had risen again from the dead (John 10:1717Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. (John 10:17); Heb. 13:2020Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, (Hebrews 13:20)) and now lives in Heaven, a glorious Saviour for all who put their trust in Him. Yet he doubted that he really belonged to Jesus, and the words of his little friend set him longing that he, too, might know the Lord Jesus as his own Shepherd.
However, as time went on, Donald’s longing was answered, for he found peace and joy in believing in Jesus as his Saviour. As he grew older, he delighted to tell others about Him and to show them how they, too, might have their sins forgiven by trusting in His finished work on the Cross. He would tell, too, of how the Good Shepherd cares for His sheep all through their lives here, feeding and guiding them as they follow Him, until He takes them to His own glory, forever.
ML-08/31/1969