Battles And Front Lines Devotional By Rita SpringerSample

Carried Away

“You’re the only one that calls something broken beautiful, you’re the only one who calls something cripple, healed! You’re the only one who leaves ninety-nine to find one lost, and carry me on your shoulders home.”

For about seven years of my childhood, I lived on a 300-acre ranch in the Leona Valley mountains of Southern California. My father had met the owner of an old horse training facility, complete with acreage, barns, fields, and a broken-down, old redwood home. We took care of the property in exchange for a place to live. We were extremely poor, and we even had to pump water up into the house from the front field, which lay miles away.

I grew up with five siblings, and our poverty was overshadowed by 300 acres of mountains and dirt in which to play make-believe. One day, at about six years old, I was roughhousing with my siblings. I fell on a fence post in one of the fields, and a massive sliver of wood drove itself into the base of my right palm. My parents knew a couple who were visiting, and the husband came running toward the field when he heard my cries for help. He lifted me into his arms and ran all the way up the mountain to our house.

It is odd how clearly I remember the details of him picking me up and rushing me to safety. I remember my vulnerability and how it truly felt like a rescue. I love the Scripture’s image of the lost lamb found by the shepherd: “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off” (Matthew 18:12–13).

How easy is it for us to wander in our thoughts or convictions? We all have seasons of spiritual clumsiness, and we fall into places of pain that distract and detour us. As our Shepherd, God is aware of when we misplace ourselves and need Him to redirect us. He comes running. It’s not always comfortable when He finds us. Our pride can cause us to hide even though we are aware that we need attention and help. If you need Him to carry you to safety, tell your heart not to fight it. Imagine the trust a child must have when riding on her parent’s shoulders. If you have lost your way or perspective in a tough season, lower your pride and cry out. Let the Lord know that you need to be rescued. You may find it difficult to let go and let God carry you, but it is His nature to carry.