Years ago I was so blessed by Stephanie Paul’s devotional about Musk Oxen. A very abbreviated explanation of her devotional and a musk oxen is that when the baby musk oxen are in danger the momma’s gather around and face outward towards their enemy while surrounding the babies. As a mother, I along with some friends formed a small prayer group for our adult children so we could surround them with prayers against the enemy that seeks them.

I recently read about another animal that I had never heard of before. I learned about a bummer lamb. In Scripture we know of the Good Shepherd and His care over His flock of sheep but I had never heard of a bummer lamb. The story is told of a ewe that gave birth to triplets but only accepted two of the lambs. The third lamb would approach its momma only to be butted out of the way while the other two fed. No matter what was done the ewe would not accept her third baby. What had happened was that the mother ewe was so overwhelmed that she chose to ignore her baby rather than care for it. These abandoned, rejected lambs are called “bummer lambs.” Shelia Walsh, in her book, God Loves Broken People (And Those Who Pretend They’re Not) describes the bummer lamb:

“All too often, these needy, vulnerable, precious lambs simply die. Their little spirits break, and they give up the will to live. The only ones who do survive – the ones who find the strength to overcome their mother’s rejection – are the ones who get taken in and cared for by the shepherd. Bummer lambs are, in fact, the most blessed of all the sheep in the pasture because they are the most personally and intimately cared for by the shepherd. They develop the kind of relationship with the shepherd that other sheep can’t dream of. They experience a love that surpasses anything the pasture and sometimes fickle ewe have to offer.  When the shepherd calls to the flock, guess who run to him first? The bummer lambs! Why? Because they know his voice best, and they have been held close to his heart. It’s not that he loves them more; it’s just that they’ve been broken enough to let that love in….down deep.”

Today if you feel like a bummer lamb, draw close to the shepherd, hear His voice and know you are loved.

Blessings,
Kathy Withers

Kathy’s on staff at America’s KESWICK in the Development Department. Kathy has been married to her husband Dave for 26 years.  They have two adult children. Kathy is active in her local Church and has previously served as a Teaching Director for Community Bible Study. Her passion is to encourage women to deepen their walk with Jesus Christ by finding and living out the truths of God’s Word.