By Toni Ford
I recently found this story on a social media platform. I was not able to find the original author. As I read the story and saw a picture of a sheep overburdened with all its wool, so many spiritual truths regarding the character of God along with Scriptures came to mind, thus my reason for wanting to share. Here is how the story goes:
“This sheep was found after hiding out in a cave for six years. His fleece continued to grow without the ability to be shorn. When found, they shaved 60 pounds of wool off his body. The average weight at shearing is 10 pounds. For years, the sheep he carried an ever-increasing burden because he was away from his shepherd. It took only 28 minutes for a sheep shearer to remove the weight of enough wool to suit 20 men, all because he came home to his shepherd. It’s time to come home to God.”
Matthew 11:28-30 says, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
So many times, we run from our Father, the Good Shepherd, thinking we have answers better than His or thinking we can handle our situation and do not need Him. The longer we run, the more we become burdened like this sheep and the stresses of life begin to pile up just like the wool did on this sheep’s body. Oh Lord, may we run to You with our burdens, knowing that in You we will find true rest!
John 10:14-15 says, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep.”
God alone is a good shepherd and loves us enough to lay down His life for us. He knows what we need even before we know so we can trust that He is good – always.
Isaiah 55:6-7 says, “Seek the Lord while He may be found. Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake the way and let the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to the Lord and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.”
When we run from our Father, we can return back to Him knowing that in our repentance, He will have mercy on us and forgive us.
Deuteronomy 4:29-31 says, “But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the Lord your God and obey him. For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.”
The sheep in the story (pictured above at right) had been hiding out for six years. When we stop seeking the Lord or try to hide from Him, it can affect our minds and bodies. The good news is that it is never too late to return to our Lord, for He is a merciful God and He will never abandon us.
Psalms 63:1 says, “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.”
This is my daily prayer, that I would thirst for God with my whole being!
James 4:8 says, “Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
God longs to dwell with me, be near to me and be my provider, and my protector. However, I have a responsibility, which is to draw near to Him. When I run from Him, He will still seek me, but at some point, we must all repent, turn and come near to God.
Acts 17:27 says, “God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.”
Thank You, God, that You are not far from any one of us! Thank You for Your faithfulness towards us, now and always!
If you would like continued prayer, feel free to email me at tonif77@gmail.com. I would love to pray for you!