Shoulders by Robin Densmore Fuson

 

Sometimes, words or phrases in God’s Word grabs my heart and my focus sits there, pondering the implications. I think about all the meaning of those words.

I’m in a few writer’s groups. One of the amazing writers used a verse in her piece that arrested my attention. I wanted to stay there, riveted on the one phrase that jumped out at me.

The verse is Deuteronomy 33:12. Moses is blessing the tribes of Isreal. In this verse, his attention is on Benjamin. In the NKJV it says, “The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, who shelters him all the day long; And he shall dwell between His shoulders.”

The HCSB reads, The Lord’s beloved rests securely on Him. He shields him all day long,

and he rests on His shoulders.

Dwells or rests on God’s shoulders.

Wow.

Let that simmer a moment.

My mind went to a shepherd and his lambs. When a rebellious lamb won’t stay with the flock and keeps running off chasing butterflies and ends up lost, stuck in brambles, or cornered by a wolf, the shepherd has to do a drastic thing to keep the lamb safe.

He carries the lamb back to the fold and uses his staff to break the leg of that lamb. That sounds harsh. Chastening is. Paying for our disobedience is sometimes painful. The shepherd doesn’t keep the lamb in pain. He doesn’t expect the lamb to take care of its wound by itself. The shepherd binds and splints the bones, then he lovingly places the lamb on his shoulders. The lamb will rest up there until the broken leg is healed.

During the healing process, little lamb eats tender grass out of the shepherd hand. The lamb listens to the shepherd’s voice. His breathing, his heartbeat. The shepherd sets the lamb down for short periods of stretching, drinking water, and bathroom breaks.

At night, the shepherd leads all the sheep into the fold, where he lies down across the entrance to keep them safe. The little lamb sleeps right next to the caregiving, loving, shepherd.

The lamb becomes so attached to the shepherd it never wants to wander away. The lamb grows into a sheep adores the shepherd and never wants to stray.

A parent will sometimes lift their child up onto their shoulders. Children enjoy riding high to see over the crowds. Children love the close contact of sitting atop the strong shoulders of their caregiver, parent, grandparent, or older sibling.

I’ve placed my little grandchildren on my shoulders and been awarded by giggles.

God wants us close. When we are in distress, ill, or hurt, He pulls us close to give us comfort. He may need to chastise us but then he places us on His strong shoulders where we are safe and can learn and heal. We recognize His voice. (John 10:27) We feel His heartbeat and listen to His very breath.

We need to desire Him. Spend time with Him—quiet time listening to His voice.

Psalms 23 is a good picture of our Savior Shepherd and us, sheep.

I want to be carried on His shoulders. I want to rest in His loving embrace where I hear His voice, breath, and heartbeat.

We all should crave that closeness.