Bummer Lambs and Belief

Recently I attended a Women of Faith conference. The keynote speaker, the beautiful Sheila Walsh, began to share about her homeland and how as a young girl she would linger in neighboring fields, enraptured with the relationship of shepherds and their sheep. Having grown up in church, I've absorbed countless stories about sheep and the shepherd as a metaphor for God and His people. As shameful as it is, sheep analogies fail to excite me and I'd rather be boiled in hot oil than hear another.  During sheep sermons I numbly nod to the description of being dumb, dirty, and in constant need of grooming.

Sheila described the life of bummer lambs, the lambs that are rejected by their mothers at birth. She had my attention as I hadn't heard many bummer lamb analogies and have felt the devastation of rejection.  More than once.  I believe we can all relate to this. 

For reasons unknown, ewes kick away their newborn lambs, refusing to clean or feed them, leaving them to die. The shepherd has to quickly intervene by nurturing, feeding, and tending these lambs so they feel wanted and safe. These lambs are a carried and closely tended by the shepherd, often brought into the shepherd's home, for weeks until they are strong enough to be reintroduced to the flock.

After they rejoin the flock, it's the bummer lambs that are the first to come to the call of the shepherd. They know his voice best and delight in his attention. The shepherd loves all his sheep but the bummer lambs believe that they are the most loved, the most cherished and the most valuable to the shepherd so they race to his presence.  

I began thinking about my mentally-challenged and heavily medicated Yorkie, Ginger. While adorable, Ginger is a one-person dog. I'm her person.

 When I sit down, she feels that she belongs on my lap, even if I'm at my desk. Her version of Doggy Heaven would include being carried by me a baby backpack all day. Any time I hold her in my arms, her breathing slows, her eyes close, and her mouth begins to hang open as she snores.  As long as I'm holding her, she's at peace. If I'm not holding her, she's nearby staring at my feet.  She stares as I fold laundry, wash dishes in the kitchen sink, brush my teeth in the evening. She becomes so entranced with my feet that I have to call out her name, often startling her.

Ginger competes for my attention with our other two dogs, Chili and Teddy. If I single out one for attention, I find myself in a furball fest as they each try to press in the closet to my legs, attempting to out-bark and out-wag each other.  A quiet moment of affection quickly turns to canine chaos.

Our sweet Teddy.

They each believe themselves to be the favorite. I've carried, nurtured, and have given each of them special attention.  They dare to believe that they are worthy of love. They dare to believe they are worthy of attention. They dare to believe that they deserve the treats first.

What if we dared to believe in God's love this much? What if we dared to believe that He wants us to rush to His presence, that He believes we are special, that He wants to be our everything and in return, He wants to bless us? What would happen in our lives if we were the first to go rushing to His presence when we heard Him call our names?

I can tell you this much- we don't need to compete for His attention like Ginger, Chili, and Teddy compete for mine. God isn't waiting to see who can do the best tricks, who can bark the loudest, or who can be the most perfect. God isn't waiting for us to clean up our acts before we rush to His presence. He's not waiting for us to help ourselves before He'll help us. He simply wants us. All of us.

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Resources you may enjoy:
*Book - Scouting the Divine; My Search for God in Wool, Wine, and Wild Honey by Margaret Feinberg  She's a fantastic writer who personally explores each of these elements and how God's character is revealed!  Great read!
*Sheila Walsh's website - www.SheilaWalsh.com  (She has a 'Good Morning, Lord' iPhone app available!)
*Article - Believing God Loves You by Charisma Magazine