James Hogg, the shepherd poet of Scotland, told a remarkable story of his shepherd dog Sirrah.
One evening Mr. Hogg’s large flock of lambs became frightened. In spite of all he could do, they scampered away over the hills in three different directions.
“Sirrah,” said the worried shepherd, “they’re all awa'!”
Sirrah trotted off into the darkness as though he knew exactly what to do. All night long Mr. Hogg wandered over the hills in search of the lambs. Finally at day break he decided there was nothing to do but go to his employer and tell him that 700 lambs had been lost.
Just as he was returning sorrowfully homeward, he saw a number of lambs at the bottom of a deep ravine. To his immense joy, he noticed that Sirrah was keeping guard over them. At first he thought the dog must have found one of the three groups of the runaways, but when he came closer, he was surprised to see that the whole flock was there. Not one lamb of the 700 was missing.
How the dog had managed this and how he had brought all three groups of lambs together, the shepherd was never able to figure out.
“But I never felt so grateful to any living creature,” he said, “as I did to my faithful Sirrah that morning.”
The Lord Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He could say, “The Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.” Not one of His lambs will be missing in that day when all His flock are gathered safely home in the heavenly fold.
When His enemies came to take Him on the night of His betrayal, He went to meet them, saying: “If therefore ye seek Me, let these [My disciples] go their way: that the saying might be fulfilled, which He spake, of them which Thou gavest Me have I lost none.” John 18:8, 98Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: 9That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none. (John 18:8‑9).
The shepherd was ever grateful to faithful Sirrah for saving all his lambs, and God the Father will ever be grateful to His beloved Son for His work on the cross by which He has saved every sheep and lamb of His flock. God is going to fill heaven with sons and daughters; they will be just like His own beloved Son, and they shall sing the Father’s praise and the praise of Jesus forever and ever.
ML-11/14/1976