Rescue Me

These last few weeks have been a whirlwind for me. Between changes in my daily schedule due to the vacation of my childcare, planning events for my business, and me also getting engaged, which sparked a whole string of events that were time-sensitive, there have been a lot of things thrown into the mix at the same time. To add a little more excitement, right in the middle of it all was Daylight Savings. So I "lost" an hour of my day. It has all felt overwhelming, and I allowed my attention to be consumed and distracted.

Over the last year, I have worked really hard to build structure into my daily routine in order to keep up with and steward each aspect of my life as well as I possibly can. Within the last couple of weeks, I have found myself in this space of feeling lost or literally in the middle of a whirlwind, and not knowing which way is up. Things have felt chaotic, and I feel like I've been searching for quick fixes to get me through to the next day. It's been exhausting. I've also found it difficult to get thoughts out to even write a post for Honey & Clay. I was praying for God to reveal things to me and help guide me through it all. During my prayer time last night, God revealed to me a theme He has been repeatedly showing me throughout these last few weeks. And that’s exactly what I feel I need to share with you today.

"As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness."

-Ezekial 34:12 ESV

My revelation showed me that God has been repeatedly showing me things dealing with the word shepherd. From videos on social media, to songs, to different Bible verses that either came across my phone or that I stumbled upon in my reading.

God has had me in the book of Ezekiel for a while now. A lot of that is because I am someone who needs time to process and digest. If you haven't read through any of Ezekiel, I definitely recommend it. So many great things to pull from and apply to today's world.

Anywho, chapter 34 of Ezekiel is when God has Ezekiel prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. This just so happens to be a chapter that I was reading over these last few weeks. I've reread it and listened to it a few times. Last night while I was listening to it, it was like a floodgate opened and everything came rushing to my mind. I felt like I could finally see.

What is the Shepherd's Job?

This might seem like an obvious answer and maybe a very basic question to ask. I'm listing it out because I feel like it's important to know the duties and responsibilities of a shepherd in order to gain a full perspective.

• Protection: It's the shepherd's duty to ensure the flock remains safe at all times, defending them from predators or thieves, and most times, staying with them all day and night.

• Care & Maintenance: They are responsible for keeping each of the flock healthy. From caring for an injured or ill sheep to making sure each one is well fed. The shepherd will also use oil to help keep pests and insects off of the sheep.

• Guidance: Making sure the sheep are able to find green pastures and drinking water is an essential duty the shepherd holds. The sheep will follow him wherever he goes. So, if you think about it, if the shepherd isn't mindful of where he is going and is headed in an unsafe direction, it could mean disaster for his flock.

• Knowledge of the Flock: It's important that the shepherd knows each and every individual within his flock. Understanding their mannerisms and observing changes in behavior can help the shepherd detect early signs of illness and will help him be proactive in caring for each one. In turn, the flock will learn to trust their shepherd and know his voice. They understand that he will provide the things they need and they will be safe wherever he is leading them.

• Rescue: There are times when a member of the flock becomes separated from the group. This can happen for many different reasons. Why they got separated isn't important. What's important is that it's the shepherd's job to search and find the lost sheep and bring them back to safety and under his watch.

I'm sure many, if not each one, of you reading this already knew all of that. A review is never a bad thing. And if anything, the list was simply for me. It serves as a great reminder to me that God has got me in every sense.

^"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."

John 10: 27 ESV

What if I'm the Lost Sheep?

If you feel like the lost sheep, I'm here to tell you, we've all been there. Some of us more than once (probably all of us lol). The lost feeling part is never fun. However, I will say, as your relationship grows with Jesus, finding Him when you feel lost gets easier and easier. There are things that will happen in your life and feel very overwhelming. For me, I allowed situations in my life to consume me, and they seeped into my God time. Things happen, and sometimes our attention and focus can

be hijacked. Good news is you're human, and God has you covered.

Keep in mind, there isn't a magic fix, and God isn't some genie in a bottle. In order for us to be brought back to safety, we need to listen for Him and follow His voice. I don't mean that you will audibly hear Him. Although, if God wants you to actually hear Him, you will. I've heard some people say they have. Which is super cool. I've just never experienced it. Anywho, what I'm trying to say is that to be able to follow Him to safety, we need to be actively seeking Him in order to receive His guidance. We need to get to know Him and get used to hearing His voice in order to recognize it. Especially in a noisy world with a million voices telling you how and what you should be doing.

How do we get to know God and recognize His voice?

• Read the Bible: The best way to get to know God and His voice is to actively be reading and studying the Word of God. If you are studying the Word of God, you are studying God Himself. By doing this, you will learn His character, His personality, and His love for you. The more you know Him, the clearer His voice becomes.

• Pray: Another really great way to learn the voice of God is to actually spend time with Him in prayer. Prayer is a conversation you are having with Him. Part of having a conversation is practicing active listening skills with the person with whom you are conversing. Talking with God, asking Him questions, sitting in silence, waiting for Him to answer, and being open to what He has to tell you are great practices. I want to highlight the 'be open to what He has to tell you' part. If we are only wanting or willing to hear a certain thing, we will never be able to hear the truth God has for us. The truth will set us free.

• Be Obedient: I'm adding this to the list because you will never be brought back to safety if you are not choosing to walk in obedience. We need to live our lives as God wants us to. If God tells us that stealing is evil (darkness) and we choose to steal, we are actively putting ourselves into the darkness and allowing ourselves to remain lost. We cannot be free and safe if we continue making choices to remain in the darkness. Choosing to walk in obedience is not always an easy thing. Sometimes it's scary. Sometimes it's uncomfortable. Knowing God is the good shepherd and He is guiding you to safety means that even though it's hard, it will be worth it to be obedient.

All of these are actions for us to do. Like I said before, God is not some genie in a bottle. We are building a relationship with Him, and that requires action and work on our end. God will meet us where we are, but we have to also put forth effort. These three things all work hand-in-hand.

You can read the Bible without building a relationship with God. If you do that, you're only building your head knowledge of the book and probably not applying it to your life.

You can pray and talk to God without knowing His word. If you are praying without knowing what God has already said, you're unaware of the promises He has for you and likely only talking at Him, rather than having a conversation with Him.

You can read the Bible, know what God says, ask Him for guidance, and still not do what He tells you to do. That's called disobedience. By doing that, you're choosing to remain wherever you are. If you want safety and peace, obedience to God is where you will find it.

"He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young."

Isaiah 40:11 ESV

My Final Thoughts

Honestly, with everything God gave me, I have many more topics I can cover and hopefully share with you soon. That makes me really excited! Here are a few of my key takeaways from this post.

• First and foremost, spending time with God is non-negotiable. I still read my Bible during this whole endeavor; however, I was not as intentional with my prayer time as I normally would be. That showed up as a lack of clarity and direction, as well as frustration and confusion in my daily life. I was also extremely exhausted. It wasn't a physical exhaustion. It was a type of tired that no amount of sleep would touch. If you're experiencing that type of exhaustion, I'm going to encourage you to make time for God. The rest and peace he can deliver is unmatched.

  
  

God is the good shepherd.

• He is there to protect His flock (you and me).

• He ensures we are fed. Both physically and spiritually. If we aren't healthy, He will help mend our body and spirit to make us whole.

• He will guide us where we need to go. Whether it's for food, water, or shelter. He will make sure we have exactly what we need when we need it.

• He knows each of us by name. He knows the number of hairs on our head and every bit of our hearts. He knows every part of you because He knit you together in your mother's womb.

• If you are a part of His flock, you will know His voice. You will hear Him, and you will follow because you know He has more for you, and He will never lead you astray.

• He will rescue you, always. He knows when you're not directly under His watch and when you have gone astray. He is actively searching for you and trying to bring you back. You just have to listen for His voice and follow it.

I just have to say, God is so awesome. How He weaves things into our lives with such detail and intention is mind-blowing. The love He has for me, for each of us, makes my heart want to burst from the abundance. The chaos and emptiness I felt without my Jesus-time was drowning me. I felt empty, lost, and like I was in a dense fog.

This is my call to each one of you. If you can relate to any of those feelings I just named, take time with Jesus. Take it now. You don't have to live with the emptiness. You don't have to live with the chaos, confusion, fogginess, or even the darkness. Jesus is the answer. He is the light in the storm to guide you to safety.

Seek Him. Find Him. Follow Him.

You won't regret it.

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Dear Lord,

Thank you for always coming to my rescue. Help me continue prioritizing my time with you, so I may be able to share your goodness with the world. Thank you for your grace and guidance every day. I love you and I praise you.

In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.