and opened not his mouth;
like a lamb led to the slaughter
or a sheep before the shearers
In 1985 my buddy and I went to visit another High School buddy who was teaching high school science in McKay, Queensland, Australia. On the way we stopped in New Zealand. We rented a car and drove the beautiful and picturesque landscape.
Most of the roads were two lane and some were gravel. I quickly learned to drive on the left side of the road and gradually learned to enjoy roundabouts. On a gravel road on the South Island, we came upon a travel brochures iconic picture. The road was totally blocked by a farmer and his flock of sheep.
The New Zealand farmer was an older gentleman and a World War II veteran. One of the reasons he loved Americans was the fact that he would steal equipment from the Americans soldiers because the New Zealand government couldn’t provide it. To put things in perspective the Japanese had invaded and controlled Burma. This is the modern-day country of Myanmar. Burma was 100 miles from Queensland, Australia and not far from New Zealand. For this reason Americans are much loved in this part of the world even today.
Getting back to my story of the sheep. The farmer. There was no moving the sheep, so the farmer invited us to watch as his crew sheared his sheep. They were so very, very docile. Because it was winter in the Southern Hemisphere, the farmer explained that he didn’t use electric shears because the electric shears didn’t leave enough wool to help keep the animals comfortably warm enough for winter. The sheep just laid there as the man who was doing the shearing peeled the sheep like you would peel a potato. This large animal was reduced to a skinny smaller one.
There was also a sheep that was butchered for future eating for him and his family. It was hanging in the same shed that the shearing was done. Our farmer invited us for their midday meal, and we enjoyed his hospitality for a number of hours. Our trip was delayed but the generosity and hospitality of the farmer is vivid in my memory. The scripture on Good Friday became more real to me.
The sacrifice of the lamb is analogous to Jesus Christ. The Farmer reminds me of the generosity of God. He sacrificed His only Son for us. We memorialize this sacrifice today on Good Friday. Jesus was just as meek as a lamb to the slaughter or a sheep to the shearers.
God the Father and Jesus both sacrificed out of love. We can’t forget the sacrifice of Mary today who like Simeon said her heart would be pierced. The thing that I see the most is that all this was done for us. We are His sheep.
Happy Easter!
God Love You Always
Bob Burford
PS: Please Pray for Cancer victims and their caregivers. Pray for the conversion of Russia and the salvation of the Ukrainian and Russian people and their soldiers. Pray for the Holy Land. Pray for peace!
