WALKING through my field on a winter’s morning I met with a lamb, as I thought, dead; but, taking it up, I found it just alive; the cruel mother had allowed it to become chilled almost to death. I put it in my bosom and brought it to my house; there I rubbed its cold limbs, warmed it by the fireside, and fed it with nice warm milk. Soon after the little lamb revived; at first it was afraid of me, but afterwards it thoroughly loved me. As I fed it with my own hand, it followed me wherever I went, bleating after me whenever it saw me, and it was always happy when it could frisk around me, but it was never so pleased as when I could carry it in my arms.
But you, dear children, have had more from your parents than ever my lamb received from me; what ungrateful hearts yours must be if you do not love your parents many, many times better than ever my lamb loved me.
Let me remind you now of a still better story. Jesus is the GOOD Shepherd —the Shepherd of souls; and of Him it is said,
“He carries the lambs in His bosom.”
It cost me but little to save that Lamb from death, but the GOOD Shepherd gave His life to save sinners like you and me.
“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way.”
How hard the heart must be that does not love a Shepherd like that! And yet there may be boys and girls who read this story and have never realized that they are like lost sheep, unable to find their way to heaven, exposed to all the power of the great enemy of their souls—Satan, —who, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. You need not be lost any longer, for,
“The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which is lost.”
You may now know that for such as you, this GOOD SHEPHERD gave His life.
ML 05/18/1924