I was cleaning up the boys' room the other day and realized that we have an outrageous amount of stuffed animals. The basket was overflowing with them. I just sighed because it was just the tip of the iceberg or the top of the basket.
You see. I was exhausted from what was going on in the house. We have all been together for over a month and the frustration was settling in with things not being done and living together in such close quarters. As well, my nineteen hours of teaching had just finished and I was feeling that I deserved a break. I did not want to be cleaning.
As I was picking up the stuffed animals, I found a lamb. A stuffed, fuzzy white lamb with felted ears and feet whose floppy legs were slightly weighted to drape just-so. I picked it up to hug to my chest and melted a little. It felt just right! I didn't want to let it go. So I carried it with me and I realized how much I wanted to hold that lamb at that moment.
All of a sudden, I needed a lamb. I didn't know that a few minutes before. But there it was. I couldn't seem to put it down, not even after I looked at how well worn it was. I draped over the back of the chair where I most often sit to pray. I'm happy to report that it still feels just right to hug and that the sight of it still gives me joy.
In this strange season of isolation and social distancing; in these odd days of fear and uncertainty, I confess I have a lamb.
His still, stuffed presence reminds me of my one true Lamb I didn't know I needed until I did ... until He showed Himself to me for who He is: the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
Long, long ago I was hopelessly infected and He healed me.
I was lost and alone and He came alongside me.
I was wrong and He set me right.
I was afraid and He made me brave.
I needed a Lamb. I am still needing one, and will never be without Him.
In these dark days it's good to have a reminder of Him that I can be held as He is holding me.
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.' I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel."
And John bore witness: "I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."
(John 1: 29 - 34, ESV)
You see. I was exhausted from what was going on in the house. We have all been together for over a month and the frustration was settling in with things not being done and living together in such close quarters. As well, my nineteen hours of teaching had just finished and I was feeling that I deserved a break. I did not want to be cleaning.
As I was picking up the stuffed animals, I found a lamb. A stuffed, fuzzy white lamb with felted ears and feet whose floppy legs were slightly weighted to drape just-so. I picked it up to hug to my chest and melted a little. It felt just right! I didn't want to let it go. So I carried it with me and I realized how much I wanted to hold that lamb at that moment.
All of a sudden, I needed a lamb. I didn't know that a few minutes before. But there it was. I couldn't seem to put it down, not even after I looked at how well worn it was. I draped over the back of the chair where I most often sit to pray. I'm happy to report that it still feels just right to hug and that the sight of it still gives me joy.
In this strange season of isolation and social distancing; in these odd days of fear and uncertainty, I confess I have a lamb.
His still, stuffed presence reminds me of my one true Lamb I didn't know I needed until I did ... until He showed Himself to me for who He is: the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
Long, long ago I was hopelessly infected and He healed me.
I was lost and alone and He came alongside me.
I was wrong and He set me right.
I was afraid and He made me brave.
I needed a Lamb. I am still needing one, and will never be without Him.
In these dark days it's good to have a reminder of Him that I can be held as He is holding me.
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.' I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel."
And John bore witness: "I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."
(John 1: 29 - 34, ESV)
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