Finding Rest
Come to me,all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28
This is Baarack. A sheep found and rescued last week after he got lost in the forest near Lanceton, Australia, for several months. His overgrown fleece weighed 37Kg and he could barely walk. He was lifted into the back of a pickup, transported to a farm sanctuary, and there his burdensome fleece was rolled off his back by the shearers.
You can read the full story here: https://ca.news.yahoo.com/wild-sheep-freed-own-wool-123039683.html
This sheep, being crushed by the weight of his own wool, in need of rescue, and with such relief at being freed and has now been left to roam in a farm sanctuary speaks deeply to me of a near universal need, especially this year, to know that there is a good shepherd who looks for us, and as Jesus recalls the parable in Luke’s gospel. Puts us on his shoulders, and brings us, rejoicing, safely home.
A burden is not the same as a trauma. It is a weight of worry, concern, uncertainty. As it grows, our ability to navigate obstacles and threats diminishes, our nimbleness declines, our fleece (if we explore this analogy) gets stuck in hedgerows and brambles, and it is possible, like Baarack that this burden could utterly swamp our true selves.
What I love about the Baarack story is quite how resilient this sheep was - staggering on, keeping on going.
To all of us feeling burdened:
There is an achievement to even keep things going this year - survival is a triumph of ingenuity, but the longer lockdown continues the progressive burdens weigh even the healthiest person down.
Secondly: know that the Good Shepherd knows your burdens and you can come to him for rest.
Thirdly: At a time like this - we would do well to consider how to be kind to others whenever we possibly can. Before doing or saying something, before taking an action or writing an email , consider - how is this action kind? Is there anything we could do to create refuge and sanctuary for others, or take some shears to another persons matted fleece?
