The sheep without a Shepherd

So I commute into work most mornings, and have the pleasure of sitting on a train for about an hour. And each morning I'm on this journey, I get to see the most beautiful countryside views and I pass a bunch of sheep every single time.

I've since kind of gotten used to the incredible view and the sheep were just kind of part of that view, but the more I saw them, the more I started paying attention.

My mornings are always a bit long, I'm tired, work can make anxious at times, it's been freezing lately, and my mind is full. But then I look outside and see the sheep just chilling.

They always look so calm. Some are eating, some are laying down, some are just standing around, chilling.

And it reminds me that this is how life is meant to feel with God. One morning I had the realisation that this is the picture that God must have of us (well the one He intends to have of us anyway). Everyone's kind of just doing their own thing, but whether we're running across the field, laying down, chilling, standing around, we're called to just be. To rest. To be content.

So I actually started looking forward to seeing them. It was a nice and cute reminder of how calm life should be. But then one day, I had a terrible morning, and wasn't feeling too great. And I saw the sheep again and it kind of did something to me, not only was it a reminder to calm down a bit and talk to God about my terrible morning, but a thought popped up:

I've never seen a shepherd. In real life, ever. Not once. I see sheep almost daily, but never the person who looks after them. I even started wondering if shepherds existed in modern day.

So I looked it up (lol), and yes. The UK still has shepherds. They're very real, and they're definitely still working. The sheep wouldn't survive without them.

But you don't normally see them because most of their visible work only happens in certain seasons (like lambing or shearing, which are terms I learned through my sheep research).

Even outside of those seasons, shepherds don't need to be in the fields all day. Sometimes they're only with the sheep for 5-10 minutes, doing exactly what needs to be done, and then they move on. Those short moments are enough to keep them safe and settled for the rest of the day.

So this made sense as to why I've never seen a shepherd before. Firstly, I've just gotten this new job, I'm only about a month or two in, so I've only been on this route during this one season - I haven't taken the train in the spring, or winter, or summer. Maybe I'd have more luck in another season? Secondly, I'm also only seeing one small view of the field. The shepherd could literally be on the other side of the hill or in a barn. My perspective is limited. I only see the sheep in their content-ness. I don't see the fences the shepherd built, the checks they've already done that morning, or what they're protecting the sheep from behind the scenes.

I only get to see the sheep in their rest, all I witness is the calm of the sheep not the constant, careful work that makes that calm possible. The shepherd’s work is deliberate, consistent, often quiet, and almost always hidden from public view. But it’s real. It’s steady. It’s happening whether I see it or not.

And that reminded me of my God.

That's what He wanted to let me know that morning.

Just because I can't always see Him clearly in every season doesn't mean He's not working. Infact just a 5 minute work is enough to sustain a whole day. Just one moment with my God is enough to sustain me. Most of the Shepherd's work (although so vital) is done in short, specific bursts. And that's all that's needed for the sheep. And if He can do that in 5 minutes, why wouldn't I want to spend an hour with Him? Or 5? Or 24?

If such a small moment can do so much, how much more could happen if I sought Him continually, not just in passing?

The crazy (and incredible) thing is that God always has time for us. He is endlessly present, endlessly available, always there, unlike the earthly shepherd who only does the physical work for a limited amount of time. But how can He do exceedingly, abundantly above all we could ask or imagine if we only offer Him five rushed minutes before hurrying on with our day?

Some seasons feel quieter, some feel more obvious, but He's still working. His care doesn't just stop because I can't see it up close.

Seek Him today.

The sheep aren't abandoned just because the Shepherd isn't in my line of sight.

And neither am I

Or you.

Love from,

Onyi