25. THE BUMMER LAMB

A few days ago, I read the following in an online Article:

“There are times, for a number of reasons, when a ewe will give birth to a lamb and reject it. Even if you try to bring the lamb back to its mother, the mother may even kick the poor animal away. Once a ewe rejects one of her lambs, she will never change her mind.

These little lambs will hang their heads so low that it looks like something is wrong with their neck. Their spirit is broken. These lambs are called “bummer lambs.” Unless a caring shepherd intervenes, that lamb will die, alone and rejected.

But a caring shepherd will take the rejected little one into his home, hand-feeds it and keep it warm by the fire. He will wrap it up with blankets and hold it to his chest so the “bummer lamb” can hear his heartbeat. When the baby lamb grows strong enough, the shepherd will place it back with the rest of the flock.

But that former “bummer lamb” never forgets how the shepherd cared for him when his mother rejected him. When the shepherd calls for the flock, guess who runs to him first? That is right, the bummer lamb. He knows the shepherd’s voice intimately. It’s not that it is loved more, it just believes it because it has experienced that love one on one.

So many of us are bummer lambs, rejected and broken. But He is the good Shepherd. He cares for our every need and holds us close to His heart so we can hear His heartbeat. We may be broken but we are deeply loved by the Shepherd.”

This is touching indeed. I am so thankful for JESUS the Great Shepherd, who nurses his sheep back to health when they have been rejected by people in the world and sometimes even by some members of their own family.

Ephesians 1:6 states: “To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us ACCEPTED in the beloved.”

Cris Corzine McCloskey also wrote in another online Article:

The rejected lambs are called “bummer lambs.” The rejection not only puts them on the path to starvation, but it also breaks their spirit.

Shepherds are on the lookout for these little lambs. A good shepherd will find the bummer lamb, place it close to his heart so it can hear his heartbeat, and takes it home. He bottle feeds it and keeps it warm. Throughout the days ahead, the shepherd will continue to carry the lamb close to his heart. He knows it needs nurturing, or it will die of a broken spirit.

As the lamb rests near his heart, it learns the sound of his voice. It learns to trust him. By the time it is ready to be released back into the flock, there is a new NOBILITY to the little lamb. It no longer feels rejected. It feels SPECIAL, and it HOLDS IT’S HEAD HIGH. It has been singled out by the shepherd. And when the shepherd yells, “sheep, sheep, sheep,” the bummer lambs are always the first that come running.

I am a bummer lamb. I know the sting of rejection from an alcoholic father who would not get sober to save his family. I have had betrayals in friendships and the pain of unrequited love. But I now know the love of the Good Shepherd.

The Bible says Jesus will leave the 99 to pursue 1 lost lamb. That’s what He did for this bummer lamb. When I finally stopped running, He picked me up and carried me close to His heart. And He rejoiced when He carried me home. I can’t tell you I’ve fully recovered from my scars of rejection, but I feel special, and I hold my head high. I feel loved in an extraordinary way by the Good Shepherd, and for me, THAT TRUMPS THE REJECTION OF OTHERS.

I know there are a lot of bummer lambs out there. My professional practice is full of them. What is truly tragic, though, is how many Christians won’t allow the Good Shepherd to hold them close to His heart. They want just enough of Him to go to heaven but don’t want to get close enough to be nurtured to wholeness. Without the tending of the Good Shepherd, they are suffering from broken spirits. That is why the world is full of so many wounded Christians.

If this is you, I pray you will allow His love to be a salve for your rejection issues. You are precious to Him, and He longs to gather you close to His heart so you can learn the sound of His voice and feel the comfort of His heartbeat. Then, the rejection of the rest of the flock won’t seem such a big deal. And when the Good Shepherd yells, “sheep, sheep, sheep,” guess who will be leading the pack?”

THE GOOD SHEPHERD (JESUS) TAKES US FROM THE ABOVE PICTURE, TO THIS!

(Written on 02^nd November, 2020) (SEE VIDEO BELOW)

Dear Reader, if you found the above Article to be interesting, informative, edifying or beneficial, you may also be interested in reading the following under the BIBLE-BELIEVING Daughters Page: