Little Lost Lamb

There’s an empty chair in my class today,

For one little lamb has gone astray;

One little lamb that I must reach,

The love of the Heavenly Shepherd to teach.

One little lamb, who has gone astray

Over mountains of pleasure, and valleys of play.

Great clouds of carelessness gather above,

He is bruised by the thorns of the lack of love.

Lord, here are now my ninety and nine

With their Bibles, their lessons, and every one Thine.

Shall I rest content with these that are won

And call my work for Thee well done,

While one is missing that I must add

To make the heart of the shepherd glad?

Perhaps that one may outshine them all,

An eloquent Peter, a passionate Paul.

Lord, grant me the wisdom, the patience, the skill,

To search for the one who is missing, until

I bring him at last to the Shepherd of love,

That hsi chair may be filled when my class meets above.

By Barbara C. Ryberg