So you can love the least of these, even Me

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

Surely tend and tenderness come from the same root word.  And as of late, I am struck by His tenderness for each of us, His beloved sheep.  Each of us is wounded and aching, longing to be swept up into His bosom.  

Last night I watched The Way, the Emilio Estevez movie with Martin Sheen.  (Huh, I didn’t realize that they were father/son in real life, which adds another layer to the movie, that was dedicated to the grandfather.)  The chatting led to a conversation about metaphors, but there it stopped, due to weariness of mind and body.  

But yes, the ultimate metaphor.  The road of life.  Each of us on a pilgrimage of sorts, with our assorted burdens, yearning to be set free from that which binds us.  Most of us, me for instance, pretty much set our jaw and trudge as quickly as our blistered feet can carry us.  

And each so beloved.  Cameron touched on this yesterday during worship.  The need to truly believe and accept His love before we move forward to live, to love others, to serve.  

We don’t quite believe it.  We each feel deep down that we need to carry our pebble, tucked into our pocket, to pile beneath the cross, to tip the balance in our favor.  

But that is a lie.  He declared on the cross, “It is finished.”  There is nothing more to be done.  

And thus I can stop.  Put down my pebbles, the ones I throw at other sheep when I am not stacking them up in tidy heaps to prove to myself and the other pilgrims that I am worthy.  Allow Him to scoop me into His arms.  And pour oil over my wounds.  And rest in His love.