by Desiree Bustamante

Don’t be sheepish about taking your burdens to the Lord.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking this SoundCloud link.

“For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”
Zephaniah 3:17 New Living Translation

I recently saw a story about a sheep that was found in the Australian outback. His wool coat was so overgrown, after five years of running in the wild, that it weighed 77 pounds. It was so oppressive that he could barely see, stand or eat. The wildlife experts who rescued him took hours carefully cutting away and shearing his coat. When they were finished, he moved about freely again.

Being weighed down with a heavy burden creates an inward struggle that can ruin us. We lose sight of anything hopeful as our problems magnify and seem out of control. We may forget that Jesus, the Lamb of God, gave Himself for us and is waiting for us to return from our wilderness and release our burdens to Him.

In Biblical times before there were electric shears, women would pull off the excess wool by hand. She would cradle the sheep in her lap and sing to it to keep it calm during the long process of removing the wool.

This sheep is peaceful. The weight has been lifted off his shoulders. He is at home inside his fence for he is protected, well-fed and loved. He is content in this space, just as we are content when we live in Christ. Place your burdens before Him before their weight cripples you. God will cradle you in His arms and sing over you, restoring your soul and mind so you will be free, joyful, and safe in the Shepherd’s arms.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church Colorado Springs, Colorado