Little Lenten Lambs

Come follow me.  Matthew 4:19

Happy Lent!  Welcome to the season of “turning”.  Yesterday as I walked outside on a sunny Ash Wednesday -14 degree morning I was having thoughts of spring.  My mind drifted back to mushroom hunting in the woods with my folks.  I used to love tromping through the woods finding stuff.  Sometimes I would hear my dad yell, “Don’t get too far ahead” or “hurry up you’re falling too far behind.”  He wanted to make sure I didn’t wander off and get lost or travel into a spot that wasn’t safe.  He loved having us outdoors with him and he wanted us to be safe; like all good fathers!

I’m in the middle of reading a really great book that has mentioned a similar sentiment a few times.  In the book the author talks about all the times we try to manage things ourselves or bear the burdens of the day without calling out to God for help.  He also talks about all the times we fail and fall and feel too embarrassed or ashamed to ask God for forgiveness thinking he will be so disappointed in us.  The author proposes a beautiful counter thought to the negative stuff we often run through our heads.  He uses the example of Jesus the Shepherd. He offers this thought, Jesus says stay with me little lamb, don’t run too far ahead where I’ve not prepared the path for you and don’t lag too far behind  where you can’t see where I’m leading you.  That just about sums up every low spot or difficulty in my life; all too often I’m the crazy little lamb that isn’t where I’m supposed to be!

If I walked in the woods with my dad today I wouldn’t leave his side.  I’d be so interested in talking with him and searching for things together I wouldn’t want to explore on my own.  I would want to take in all the love and lessons he had to share with me.  I’d ask him questions; I’d soak up his knowledge and his experience and I would rely on him completely to show me the way.  In fact, I think I would get so lost in just simply being with him I might not pay any attention at all to where we were, I’d just trust him completely and enjoy being with him knowing without a thought that we’d get safely back to the truck at the edge of the woods.  I’d be the little lamb that didn’t get too far ahead or lag too far behind; right at his side is where I’d stay.

As all of this puddled through my mind on a freezing cold morning I realized that if I could trust my earthly father and want so deeply to go on another walk in the woods with him shouldn’t I want that same kind of walk with my Heavenly Father; shouldn’t it be as automatic and instinctive to stay right at his side.  Of course it should but I’m really going to have to sit with this in prayer for a few days (or weeks) and figure out why I’m not the same little lamb with Him as I would be with my dad.  One thing is for certain…this is not about the shepherd; it’s all about the little lamb! Perhaps this lent the greatest discipline of all would be to focus on being a little lamb that walks closer with Jesus.  I don’t suppose my fancy plans and detailed disciplines impress him.  I think what he really wants is for us to stay close to him.  That will be challenge enough for this little lamb for sure!

A Seed To Plant:  What kind of little lamb are you?  Spend some time in prayer thinking about all the times you run ahead or lag behind and ask for the Shepherd to draw you to his side.​

Blessings on your day!