The Shepherd's Love



"The Lamb" by Stephen S. Sawyer



My heart is beaten, bruised, and broken

Bleeding within me from the past and present

I cry out in my distress to My God

Knowing only He can save

I plead for mercy and compassion for my heart can bear no more

Yet trials came and still all the more causing my heart to feel cheated

Of blessing above

Satan’s lies prowled about me, surrounding me in confusion and frustration

Overwhelmed with choices I reached for the nearest thing

Satan’s lies were what I came to believe

Twisted and turned I couldn’t tell up from down or left from right

I cried to Jesus beseeching Him to save me from despair

Yet I heard nothing

I felt Him, I saw the affects of His Love

Everywhere but in my own hurting heart

I was lost and had gone astray

All I could see was the 99 sheep with the Shepherd…yet could not reach home

My Shepherds face looked pained and I saw His eyes rest on me

He steadily walked towards me reaching His staff out to me

Yet I was fearful and angry

Why had He not come for me sooner? Why had he left me for so long?

Then the Shepherd was before me looking into my face

As if he was reading and searching my innermost being

Seeing every thought and emotion

He knelt before me and held open His arms

A smile breaking across His magnificent face

I hesitated, not understanding all I had gone through

Not understanding why I had wandered away from my Shepherd

Gently He spoke, in a soft and soothing tone

“Return to me beloved, for it is the only way your heart can be healed.

I love you and desire you for you are my bride.”

“But Shepherd,” I cried, “I have turned to man to fulfill me and taken hold of Satan’s lies…they bind me!”

The Shepherd replied, “My little, lost lamb, I will break the cords of strongholds.

I will lead you with cords of Love. Nothing can overcome My Love!”

“Oh, Shepherd”, I said, “Will you heal my bleeding heart?

Will you take away the wrong choices I have made?”

“Lamb, healing comes in My time, but you must first enter once again into My Love.

As for your wrong choices they must stay as reminders to you and others

The path you must each take.

I will still use those choices to glorify my Name.”

“My head understands My Lord, but my heart is still searching!”

“And it shall find Me my lamb. DO NOT take those burdens upon you!

Can you command a heart to obey?

No child, I draw the heart in My perfect timing for My perfect plan.

Will you come my lamb? Will you return to your Lord who has never forsaken you?”

Slowly I crawled to Him, humbled by His grace

I nestled against the chest of the one who knew no sin and yet took my place

Restoration and deliverance was in His hand!

I wrote this poem back in 2002, after a painful and spiritually eye opening year.  Since I was a child the picture of Jesus as the Shepherd, carrying a lamb in His arms had always been my favorite.  It was a picture I saw in my head during my intense times of fear. That He would not leave me or forsake me.  However, it was with a new revelation that I saw that picture in a fresh way.  I was a lost lamb, and my Savior left the 99 to come and get me (Matthew 18:12-14),  and bring me back into the fold. Our "lost" souls come in various ways-walking away completely from who God says we are, believing the lies the Enemy is feeding us, partial disobedience or obedience (which is STILL disobedience), or falling into a pit of darkness and broken in a place of despair. 

No matter the context, The Shepherd can lift us up from the darkness with His strong hand.  It's just a matter of us embracing our weakness, and that we cannot save ourselves-not with intelligence, biblical knowledge, or common sense.  Without Him we are NOTHING...nothing.  Do we believe it?  He is the one who redeems, restores, replenishes our souls to want to live again...for Him. 

If you are in a place of being lost, reach your weak hand to Him, and let His strong hand bring you up again. (Psalm 40:1-5)  If He has brought you out of that place (maybe more than once), than be faithful to speak of His testimony to others of  His great work in you. (Psalm 119:14) Be of great courage sister, be weak with the One that is strong, and He will impart all the strength you need. You belong...to Him and with Him.  I love you.


*Reccomended Fiction Reading:  "The Shepherd's Voice" by Robin Lee Hatcher