Hold On!

Knowing that sheep are my “thing,” my good friend sent me a thoughtful post she saw on Facebook. The post, shared by a gentleman named Jose Martinez, talked about the response a shepherd has for a sheep that falls into a hole or becomes tangled in a patch of briars. The post explained that sometimes the shepherd allows a distressed sheep to remain in its compromised state until it is completely exhausted. Sounds cruel, doesn’t it? Why would a loving, caring shepherd do such a heartless thing? If it were me, I would offer comforting words to the frightened sheep, caress its furry face, and provide a physical touch of reassurance.

But that’s not what happens. The shepherd stands nearby, keeping a close eye on the situation. He makes sure the sheep is protected while in its vulnerable state. He knows the sheep could injure itself further during a rescue attempt by fighting him.

On the other hand, if the sheep is allowed to deplete its energy, it has no fight left. Therefore, it cannot resist the manipulation tactics used for a successful rescue. The shepherd can gently and calmly do whatever is needed for the rescue.

After the rescue, the shepherd takes the exhausted sheep home to restore it to good health. He gives it food and water and nurses its wounds. Being grateful and aware of its source of renewed health, the sheep knows it can trust the shepherd, so it follows him from that point on.

Back in the Book of Genesis

The scene reminded me of the story in Genesis about Joseph. Remember when his brothers threw him in an empty cistern? They abandoned him, leaving him alone to die in a dark, creepy pit. I imagine Joseph hooped and hollered while clawing and climbing the walls until he wore himself out.

Little did Joseph know that the oldest brother, Rueben, stood by keeping a watchful eye. He secretly planned to return and rescue his arrogant, loud-mouthed brother.

I can’t help but wonder what exactly was Rueben’s plan. How was he going to explain his actions to his brothers without significant retribution? Did he think Joseph would stay tight-lipped about the incident to his father? Who knows? Nonetheless, a delayed rescue was the intent.

But that is not what happened. Reuben did not come to the rescue. He didn’t have to. God did.

In both of these scenarios, we see the loving hand of the Good Shepherd. His plan and purpose were at work.

Let’s personalize it to our circumstances. The timing of our rescue may not be to our liking. It may appear rather harsh, in fact. Perhaps we become depleted of all our strength so that we are unable to lend our “help” to the situation. Guess what. God doesn’t need our help! We should just stop fighting and hush crying.

And when the rescue comes, oh, when it comes, the sweet joy of gratitude washes over us with such a force that we are compelled to respond to our rescuer. We see the obvious reliance we have on the Good Shepherd. We are indebted to Him for all He has done for us. Trust is a natural reaction. Following Him is a logical path.

Let’s Get Personal

While working in a specialized lab at UAB, I reached a point where I was no longer happy. A demanding boss, uncertain work hours, a feeling of incompetence, and testy employees. All of these things added to the dread of going to work each day. It was taking a toll on my mental health. Day after day, the weight of my work became unbearable, to the point that I knew I needed to look for another job.

I prayed about another job, but it felt as if God suspended me in a period of waiting. Lord, I’m sinking, and it’s not my fault. I need help. What am I supposed to do? Who else can I turn to but You? This went on for months. I couldn’t understand. My strength was failing.

Finally, the day came when I felt God untie the knot. Although I was still in the same location and position, I felt the freedom to look for another job. I began searching and interviewing, but nothing was happening. It was exhausting.

Then one day, two people from another area of the Cancer Center approached me about a new position. I was interested but unsure since it was so different from anything I had ever done. Long story short, I ended up being hired for the job. It was a perfect fit. God had heard my cries for help. He provided my rescue after I exhausted all other attempts.

I remained in that job for 11 years until my retirement. I truly loved that job and knew that God created it just for me. I simply needed to wait for His rescue.