I’m not a bug person, but my granddaughter adores them! She loves to get down on all fours and hunt for them with her spiffy magnifying glass. So for fun, I joined her the other day as we looked for those annoying crawlers. Just when I thought we were done (thank goodness), we turned the corner only to find a 4th of July parade of ants. One little guy was carrying a stick TEN times its size. AMAZING! How does he do that? My inquisitive mind led me on a search myself.
Just how much can an ant transport? Did you know they can lift a load 5,000 times their weight – not TEN times, but FIVE THOUSAND times their size! That would be like us walking around with an adult giraffe tied on our backs. (They weigh about 5,500 pounds…so says the Internet.)
Once again, I had to stop and think. What am I carrying on my back that feels like an adult giraffe? Or what are you toting around? A child not walking with Christ? A financial nightmare? A circumstance you can’t fix? A fear bigger than life itself?
I’m reminded how God calls us sheep, not ants. Unlike those creepy crawlers, we are not load-bearing insects, nor are we donkeys. We were not made to lug around the hefty issues of life that weaken our knees. God made us sheep (foolish and helpless with a mindset that easily strays) for a reason. It creates the perfect condition for us to NEED a Shepherd, an overseer to protect, defend, and carry our woes. Psalm 23:1 declares, The LORD is my Shepherd. Yes, we don’t have to endure the strain all alone!
So right now, this moment, on the count of three – let’s release the vexation of the load (it’s our choice) and entrust it to our good Shepherd who waits to lighten it.
Ready? One … two … three … DROP!
Praise the Lord; praise God our savior. For each day he carries our burdens in his arms. Psalm 68:19
