JESUS, TENDER SHEPHERD

 

By Maureen Miller

JOHN 10:14 (NIV)

“Look!” I shouted.

Nestled in the straw was a wet, newborn goat. Her brother and sister, only an hour old, were clean and fluffy – their tummies full of milk. Amy, the mama, licked one and then the other, ignoring the third one.

“Why isn’t she eating?” asked Jacob, my youngest son.

“Sometimes a doe will reject a baby if she has more than two,” I said. “Maybe she doesn’t have enough milk to feed three.”

“Can we bottle-feed her?” my oldest son, Ian, asked, stroking her tenderly.

We were prepared for this. Twins and triplets are common among goats. Often times, the doe will reject “kids” when there are more than two. We’d purchased bottles and powdered goat’s milk, just in case.

“I think it’s sad,” Jacob said. “Do you think she’s lonely?”

“Jesus is the good Shepherd,” I said. “Let’s pray and ask God to help us care for her.”

Eventually, after many bottle-feedings, the goat was strong and healthy and ready to return to the barn. Her siblings and her mama welcomed her back.

Jesus watches and cares for every one of His creations, even our pets. Jesus IS the good Shepherd!

Maureen Miller lives on a farm in the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina. She loves her dogs, cats, horses, goats, and chickens, but not as much as her husband Bill and their sons, Ian and Jacob.  Most of all, she loves Jesus!