WHAT a beautiful picture! How contented these gentle creatures, look, lying so peacefully, on the grass in the grateful shade of the overhanging trees. And nearby is a refreshing stream.
Such a scene reminds us of the beautiful verses in Psalms 23:1,21<<A Psalm of David.>> The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. (Psalm 23:1‑2). “THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD; I SHALL NOT WANT ... . “HE MAKETH ME TO LIE DOWN IN GREEN PASTURES; HE LEADETH ME DESIDE THE STILL WATERS.”
Do you know, little reader, why Jesus calls us His sheep and lambs?
The sheep is a very, meek, gentle, submissive creature. It is also clean and does not like to walk or lie in dirty; muddy places like the pig.
Because the lamb possesses these desirable and loveable dualities it is used as a type of the Lord Jesus Himself, and He is called the Lamb of God.”
Now, our Saviour wants us to like Him. He wants us to be meek and gentle like little lambs. If we have to do or suffer things that we do not like, He wants us to submit quietly and patiently.
It is said of Jesus, “He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth.” Isaiah. 53:7.
And He wants us to keep in the clean path—not to walk and play with children who say and do naughty things. For then we would become soiled with sin, which is a great deal worse than mud.
Let us all try to grow day by day more like our good and gentle Shepherd, so that those about us can see that we are truly His sheep and lambs.
ML 05/15/1904