Because Mother and Dad had gone to a distant city on business, Aunt Jane had come to spend the night with Randy.
Now it was time for bed. Randy took his bath. Then he decided to surprise Aunt Jane, so he put on the pajamas she had given him for Christmas.
Aunt Jane was very pleased.
“How about a story?” she asked. Aunt Jane was a very good storyteller.
“Two?” Randy came back.
And two it was.
“Now your prayer,” Aunt Jane said when she had finished telling the stories.
Randy knelt beside his bed and began to pray,
“Jesus, tender shepherd, hear me
Bless Thy little lamb tonight.
Through the darkness be Thou near me
Keep me safe ‘til morning light.
“All this day Thy hand has led me
And I thank Thee for Thy care …
Thou hast warmed me, clothed me, fed me.
Listen to my evening prayer.
“Let my sins be all forgiven
Bless the friends I love so well—
Take us all at last to heaven
Happy there with Thee to dwell.”
Aunt Jane was smiling when he was through. Randy wondered why. Then she told him.
“Randy, when I was a little girl, I prayed that very same prayer. But for years I prayed it a wee bit differently. When Mother taught it to me, I thought she said, ‘Bless Thy little lamp tonight.’ You see, I had a small kerosene lamp in my bedroom. I loved the lamp very much. So, it seemed quite all right to ask God to bless it.
“One night Mother realized I was saying lamp not lamb. She told me I should say lamb, because I was God’s little lamb.
“But when I grew older, I came to believe my prayer wasn’t too wrong at that.”
“How come?” Randy asked.
“Well,” Aunt Jane answered, “All who love Jesus are meant to be lamps for Him. So He needs to bless His lamps, too. See?”
Randy nodded. And, sometimes in the nights that followed, he would pray, “Bless Thy little lamp tonight.” When he did, he always remembered what Aunt Jane had told him.
If Jesus is a Shepherd, who are His lambs? If Jesus is the Light of the world, how can we be His lamps? Where should our light shine?
“Ye are the light of the world. … Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14–16).
Dear Lord Jesus, we thank You for caring for us as a shepherd does for his sheep. We thank You for giving Your light so we can shine as lamps for You. Help us to give a bright light wherever we go. In Thy name. Amen.
Happy Moments With God, Margaret J. Anderson, 27, 28.