Fence Post Devotionals
The Lamb of God
By Cowboy Parson Mel Hooten
“He looked up, ya see, and there was Jesus walkin’ past at that very minute. ‘Look yonder!’ said John. ‘The very Lamb of God Himself!’ John’s men (called dee-sie-puls), well, they knew exactly what John was sayin’. They lit out after Jesus.”
— John 1:36–37, The Gospel of John Cowboy Style
A Simple Phrase with Eternal Meaning
When John the Baptist called Jesus “the Lamb of God,” he plumb said a mouthful. Those words weren’t just poetic — they carried the weight of centuries of prophecy and promise. Every Israelite who heard them that day would have understood the power behind that image. Lambs had always been part of sacrifice — a symbol of innocence, purity, and the price of sin.
But John was saying something far greater. He was pointing to the One who would be the final and perfect sacrifice — the Lamb God Himself provided.
A Promise Foretold
Some seven hundred years before Jesus ever walked this earth, the prophet Isaiah spoke of this coming Lamb:
“He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He did not open His mouth;
Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,
And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,
So He did not open His mouth.”
(Isaiah 53:7)
Isaiah’s words were clear — someone innocent would suffer for the guilty. Someone pure would bear the punishment meant for others.
A Question on the Mountain
And long before Isaiah, there was another moment of faith and foreshadowing. When Abraham and his son Isaac climbed Mount Moriah to offer a sacrifice, Isaac noticed something missing. “Father,” he said, “where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered with words that still echo through the ages: “God will provide for Himself the lamb.” (Genesis 22:7–8)
And sure enough, God did. A ram caught in a thicket took Isaac’s place on that altar. But that story wasn’t just about that one day — it pointed to another mountain years later, where God would again provide a Lamb. This time, it would be His own Son, Jesus Christ, offered on the cross for the redemption of all humankind.
The Lamb Who Takes Away the Sin of the World
That’s why John’s words carry such power: “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)
Jesus wasn’t just a good teacher or a moral example. He was the Lamb — God’s perfect provision, the One who carried our sins and made the way for us to be right with Him.
The Song of Heaven
Because of that one true Lamb, we have forgiveness, freedom, and the promise of eternal life. And one day, all who belong to Him will join a heavenly chorus that will shake the very heavens with praise:
“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
to receive power and riches and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing.” (Revelation 5:12)
Worthy of Thought
Friend, the Lamb of God has already been provided — for you. You don’t have to search for another way to earn God’s favor or forgiveness. The sacrifice has already been made.
There’s no greater peace than knowing your sins are forgiven and your heart is right with the Lord. Today, pause and thank God for providing the perfect Lamb — His Son, Jesus — who takes away the sin of the world.
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for loving us enough to send Your Son, the true Lamb of God, to bear our sins and offer us eternal life. Help us never take that precious sacrifice for granted. When life gets rough and the trail grows long, remind us that Your grace is enough and Your forgiveness complete.
Teach us to walk humbly, love deeply, and share the hope we’ve found in Jesus — the Lamb who was slain and now lives forevermore.
In His holy name we pray,
Amen.
Most drovers on a trail drive didn’t have much to call their own. They may have owned a saddle, some tacking and a bedroll. Many did not even own a horse. On a trail drive, they would draw one, usually green broke out of the remuda.