Entangled
Mountain or Valley, God has got us!
And call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honour me.” Psalm 50:15, NIV
A little sheep found himself lost on the mountains. The last he remembered was trailing after the aroma of a delicious grassland. This was like an ultimate discovery of all time.
“Oh my God, I am lost! he cried out. But he thought to himself, I cannot be. I have been on this mountain many times; I will find my way.
His instinct warned him to cry for help his shepherd could hear his voice from the mountain and come to his rescue. But he said to himself.
“No! I am not going to do that; the other sheep will laugh at me and mock me for going out alone selfishly to find food.” My shepherd will also never forgive me for this.”
The more his instinct warned him, the more he refuted.
The lost sheep continued to comb the corners of the mountain until he suddenly fell into a ditch that was covered with webs and thorns. He fought and kicked. He did all he could to try to get out. The more he moved, the more entangled he got into the web.
At this stage, the sheep knew he was not only lost, but now in danger of death. In tears he said to himself.
I deserve this. Why did I wander off on my own? I am stupid and selfish. I deserve all that is happening to me now. In fact, I deserve to die!
As he resolved to say his last prayers, he suddenly, felt a very sharp thorn piercing deep into his skin, ripping it apart. This made him scream out in pain and his voice echoed through the mountain catching the attention of his shepherd.
In no time, his shepherd came to his rescue.
Does this story ring a bell? Do we find ourselves sometimes in very knotty situation? A simple decision leads to a complicated one, till there is no hope of returning home. And when we finally get a chance to cry for help, we are faced with the guilt and shame of our past which holds us back from moving forward.
It does not matter how far we have gone, either high up in the mountain, or even deep in the valley of webs and thorns, we need not to continue our own. Our good shepherd, Jesus can still find us if we cry out for help.
Prayer: In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me; turn your ear to me and save me. Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. (Psalms 71:2–3) Amen.
