7. Island Images - Duncan McGregor

Search - Apr 2003

One of the most powerful and apposite images, pertaining to the Christian's standing in Christ that I have ever come across, occurs from time to time in island life: that of the 'adopted' lamb.

The pathetic-looking wee creature in this first picture is the black runt of a set of triplets whose survival, in competition with his two brothers, would seriously have been in doubt. The inquisitive ewe behind it is not the lamb's mother but is a sheep whose new-born lamb has recently died. The crofter has skinned the dead lamb and has tied the skin onto the endangered lamb. The idea is to get the ewe, deprived of her lamb, to accept the 'stranger' as her own lamb and thus save the life of the 'no-hoper'.

The second picture shows the success of the plan. The ewe smells the scent of her dead lamb on the outcast and accepts it as her own.

The overall image is, of course, symbolic of what God the Father has done for us in sending His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die for us.

The apostle Paul tells us that we were once without God and without hope in the world (Ephesians 2:12) but now are "made nigh by the blood of Christ". The blackness of our sins is now covered with the "robe of righteousness" (Isaiah 61:10) of the Lamb who died, and we are "accepted in the beloved" (Ephesians 1:6) and are adopted into the family of God. And when God the Father looks at us He not only sees the covering of His Son's righteousness but also smells the sweet-smelling savour imparted to us by the Lord Jesus (Ephesians 5:2). Praise God for His wonderful plan, wrought in Christ, that has saved from perishing all who are now securely 'wrapped up' in Him.