The Camel
The other night I went to a church with some dear friends
where hundreds of women gathered for a night of worship and to hear a popular
author give a sermon. This event of
fellowship, renewal and reflection is only offered 4 times a year and is done
with such excellence it’s always crowded.
Many of us will go early to find seats long before the event starts and
this night was no exception. As my
friends and I put our purses down to save our own places we noticed that in the
row behind us someone had printed out images of camels and taped them to
several seats. Now that’s planning! Two women were already in their spots and we
asked them, “Why camels?” One of the
women was older, dressed beautifully, perfectly accessorized and gregarious, NOT
someone with whom I’d associate with a camel.
She explained, “Do you know how the camel is known as a beast of
burden? Well, each morning the camel kneels
to receive the master’s load and each night the camel kneels again so the master
can remove it. We want to be like that.” It’s a beautiful image that has been with me
since I heard it and it’s encouraged me to reflect upon how willing I have been
to be like the camel.
In the morning, do I kneel and ask God to put the day’s
tasks upon me? When
the master sets the camel’s load upon his back, he knows the camel well enough
to discern what the camel can bear and trusts that the camel will put one foot
in front of the other until the destination has been reached. Am I allowing God
to decide what I can handle? Am I
kneeling to receive my portion of what He wants me to carry or do I stay
standing, ignoring what is needed of me? I
recently had the great blessing of going to a writer’s retreat where author,
speaker and self-proclaimed threat-to-society, James Watkins, talked about an
encounter he had when he went to speak in Africa. One of the local gentleman said to him, “You
know, Americans pray for their burdens to be lighter. Africans pray for stronger backs.” Beloved, the master has already lifted our
burdens Himself and knows exactly what He has asked of us. It is the heavy load, the very thing we ask
God to relieve us from, that gives us the strength we need to carry whatever is
required of us. Our backs become
stronger.
At the end of the day, do I kneel so God can take my burdens
from me, that I may rest? The camel may
have to travel long roads heavy-laden, in terrain that feels unstable, desolate
and seemingly without end but the master leads the way, knows the destination
and gives the camel rest and refreshment, even in the middle of a dessert. Am I kneeling with the knowledge that,
although I was asked to carry a heavy burden, I am not the owner of the content? It all belongs to the Master and it is He who
manages all that He asks me to carry. It
is in that knowledge that we can rest.
Come
to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.
Matthew
11:28
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