The Sheep Hear His Voice by Sherrill Johnston
Our guest blogger today is pastor, Sherrill Kennedy Johnston. Sherrill received a calling to mission at age 12 during an evening service at her home church. She has passionately devoted her life and ministry to this calling. She served as a United Methodist pastor and 10 years as the International Director of “Servants In Faith & Technology” (SIFAT), a non-profit mission organization. Her ministry with SIFAT carried her to live in the dry arid Andes Mountains and the lush Amazon River basin of South America to work with indigenous communities to identify, coordinate and, ultimately, realize projects of development including the building of water wells, greenhouses, schools, health centers, boarding homes, daycare centers, micro-enterprises, health training, pastoral training, and strengthening of local churches.
Sherrill has an unquenchable thirst for Christ and prays the day will come soon when there will be no more physical thirst in the world – and all will know Jesus “who came that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” Sherrill and her husband, David, reside in Flower Mound.
“My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.”
John 10:27 (NRSV)
I was an ecstatic 12 year old! While making my way down to the creek from the old camphouse of our deerlease in Sisterdale, TX I had come upon a newly birthed lamb. This tiny creature was pitifully standing on unsure, wobbly legs and bleating loudly. Bending down I looked around but saw no sheep or herd of sheep nearby. Where was its mother? In my young mind this lamb had clearly been abandoned and in need of immediate care and nurturing. I was willing and ready to respond to the call – and had begun to imagine how wonderful it was going to be to take this lamb back home with me to raise and care for. I was going to be its mother!
The lamb received the very best care I could give all day long! I had prepared a soft bed in a cardboard box, put some milk in a bottle to feed it, and held it closely in my arms wanting it to feel safe and secure. My little lamb was going to thrive under my most excellent care!
Around 4pm that afternoon I was sitting on the front porch of the old camphouse petting my lamb as it slept in its warm, comfy bed. In a few moments I noticed a herd of sheep slowly meandering into the vast expanse of open field in front of the camp house. I watched but wasn’t paying particular attention to them as I was focused on the sleeping lamb beside me.
All of a sudden my lamb jumped up onto its feet, scrambled out of its cardboard bed, and clumsily jumped from the porch to the ground. I attempted to catch it but had to let it go as it frantically attempted to run to the open field – to the herd of sheep – to its mother! I could not believe that out of the entire herd of sheep this precious, tiny creature had heard a distinguished, identifiable call and was, to my disappointment yet joy, reunited with its mother. Out of the bleating of ALL the sheep the lamb KNEW its mother’s voice – and RAN to it! My job as a 12-year-old mother was over.
To this day the image of the lamb safely reunited with its mother is vivid in my mind.
I, personally, have been that little lamb at a particular season of my life. At one of my weakest moments – when I felt alone, deserted, hurt, broken, angry – I was lured by worldly influences and friends as I sought healing, care and love in “all the wrong places.” Those “quick fixes” were persons I thought would “mother” me back to my feet and back into the swing of life. People that, despite their promises, did not, and could not fill those empty and broken voids of my heart.
Yet, it was in that desperate place in the midst of clamoring voices I heard the Good Shepherd faithfully call my name – and somehow, praise God, I heard and recognized His voice to run back into His arms to the sacred place where promised healing and restoration healed my heart.
It is that voice I now listen for and will forever follow!