Home
>
Spirituality
>
Relieve Me of Myself

Relieve Me of Myself

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" Mark 8: 34-36, NIV

This has been a long arduous summer and yet so fully alive with all the possibilites that God has shown me. I'm fast approaching the nearly finished task of co-authoring a book on natural dog health with a holistic veterinarian, launched out a new product line with Saving Grace Enterprises, and ramping up for an online conference with veterinarians, doctors, etc., to help educate on stopping a superbug staph infection. Now this all sounds kind of serious right? Well not according to what God has been telling me all week!

Last Sunday in service, our pastor had a very interesting sermon on Psalm 23 as we closed out a series on The Godward Heart. We've all heard and read that psalm since we were children most likely, no matter which Christian religion we are. However, I've not ever heard it presented like this and that is most likely why it resonated so loudly with me. Let me do my usual roundabout way of getting to the point here...

Psalm 23 is all about the Shepard and His sheep, right? Understanding what a shepard's duty was and how he went about it in Jesus' day is what got my attention. Anyone who has read my articles here know that I am not only a pet lover but my business is a business in natural pet care. When our pastor started explaining how a shepard cares for his sheep and what tools he uses, I felt like God was sitting next to me and whispering in my ear and it sent shivers up my spine in a most delightful way!

I've wondered for a long time how God would use me in a natural pet care business. Then He brought me together with Dee Kreidel and Saving Grace Enterprises to create our new product line in custom hand-tooled leather collars, leashes and journals. Huh I said? How does that go with natural pet care Lord? I got an interesting answer Sunday AND one that told me not to take myself so seriously. I'll get to all that in a bit.

The shepard had a staff (we all know that) that was about 5 or 6 ft tall I believe our pastor said. It had the hook at the end we all know about and that was to keep sheep gathered in and not wandering. Sound familiar? Ever wonder why God refers to us as sheep? It's not a flattering statement because they are not the brightest creatures in creation, and they need constant tending and supervision. The shepard also carried a baton about the size of what our police officers carry today. He would use that to fend off attacking predators. He also used it for something a bit more harsh.

If one sheep was constantly wandering off and not learning to stay with the herd, the shepard would use the baton to break one or two of this sheep's legs and then immediately set them. Then he'd carry that sheep around his neck until he was fully healed. The purpose? For the sheep to become dependent upon the shepard for all its needs and to bond fully with him. Again, God does the same to His children.

Another interesting thing the shepard would do is to put oil on each sheep's head and also body to ward off pests (fleas, ticks, flies, the usual suspects). Now the oil referred to isn't your vegetable cooking oil as that would not ward off insects. Nope it was what we now know as essential oils (which by the way still are used extensively in that part of the world for their healing benefits and fast growing here in the USA) mixed with most likely olive oil. The oils served another purpose too. Sheep are goofy and get angry with each other over anything (again like us). When they did get angry, they'd go charging into each other to butt heads so hard that they could kill each other. With the oil on their heads, it would help them to skid off each other keeping them from killing each other.

Yep, I'm getting to the pet business with Dee and the "serious stuff". So for his own protection the shepard would carry a big leather poncho he would wear during inclement weather and also use as a "pup tent" of sorts to sleep in. So we've got Dee's leather products and my essential oils from the pet business. Hmmm. Leather was the Shepard's protection. Oil throughout the Bible is representative of the Holy Spirit. He uses animals as examples of us. Is anyone else "seeing" this? God will definitely use whatever, wherever, whomever for His purpose and glory if we just get the heck out of the way. Be relieved of ourselves so that Jesus can reign and work. He will protect us and He will provide for us.

Here was what was so funny to me when our pastor got to the Three Points of Application part:

1. Because the Shepard is in control, I dont have to take myself so seriously. It's ALL about Him. This does not mean to not take ISSUES in the world seriously because we should. It means to not take OURSELVES so seriously. If we do keep taking ourselves so seriously, then that is really internalized pride and wrong thinking rooted in the inability to surrender.

2. Because the Shepard cares, I can release my burdens to Him. Matthew 11:28, 1 Peter 5:7.

3. Because the Shepard is qualified, I can trust Him to guide my life.

God told me in no uncertain terms not only WHAT I'm supposed to be doing but also WHY, and HOW it all tied in with WHO He is. What He did not tell me was WHEN. Leave it to Him to keep tempering and teaching as He goes about His purpose.

On Tuesday or Wednesday after this riveting sermon on Sunday, John Fischer of a Purpose Driven Life wrote this in his devotional Acquittal by Penguin the following paragraph:

"This is not to say that any behavior in the natural kingdom legitimizes corresponding activity among human beings, but I do believe God has given us animals to mirror human behavior, and help us see ourselves in another light and not take ourselves or our roles so seriously. " (italics mine)

Hey, do you think God is trying to tell me something? So then I was listening to some contemporary Christian music on Thursday while doing my housework. I was playing Jennifer Knapp's CD, Lay it Down, and the song "Into You" came on. The words in the chorus "relieve me of myself, bring me into You" just stuck out like a sore thumb and I've listened to that song a multitude of times. I KNOW God was telling me to take a chill pill, lay it down, trust Him, don't take myself so seriously, He has a purpose for the work I'm doing so allow Him to work, be relieved of myself, depend on Him and just enjoy the ride! WHEW! What a ride too brethren. So if anyone is getting too "puffed up" maybe we all just need to get over ourselves and rest in the Shepard. I sure don't want to have to learn the hard way and take a 2X4 baton!

About the Author:
Kim Bloomer is a natural pet care educator helping pet owners learn to care for their pets through natural, holistic means.Disease prevention is her goal to help pet owners lower their pet care costs and extend the lives of their pets. Visit her website aspenbloom pet care & supply and her dog's blogs barkin' about natural pet care from a canine perspective aspenbloom pet care & supply and aspenbloom pet care & supply

Look for Kim's dog Shadrach's new line of beautiful, custom made, hand-tooled leather collars, leashes and journals for large breed dogs on her website.

executive chauffeured services Bradford .. Madison to Airport car

In The News:

Getting virus alerts on your iPhone? Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson helps you learn how to handle fake scam alerts and boost security.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says opening emails is safe, but risks arise from interacting with links, attachments or HTML content.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals four signs of compromised Social Security numbers and offers five steps to protect yourself.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how MAB Robotics' Honey Badger 4.0, a versatile robot, now walks underwater with amphibious skills.

An updated Android trojan called FakeCall hijacks bank calls. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says Android phone manufacturers and Google need to step up their game on security.

The Massimo Modular E9 is a sleek, smart and comfy tiny home in 409 square feet. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson takes a closer look at what the future of housing might look like.

Every stock trader should consider a virtual private network to safeguard their trading, according to tech guru Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson.

Apple recently announced its new lineup of Macs and rolled out Apple Intelligence, its latest artificial intelligence-powered feature for its products.

A Swiss-engineered robot can climb ladders, showing why it's at the cutting edge of autonomous robotic solutions for harsh industrial settings.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson presents the cities targeted most by robocalls, why this is happening and what you can do about it to protect your privacy.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson shares tips and suggestions for how to get the best use out of the updated Calendar app available with the latest iOS update.

Your Social Security number, your unique identifier used for many purposes, has likely been leaked on the Dark Web; here are some steps you can take to protect yourself.

Researchers have developed a new technology that creates strong, sticky fibers capable of lifting objects and capturing things from a distance.

Smart rings track the same things that smartwatches do, including steps, sleep and a general overview of your overall health, and they tend have more battery life than smartwatches.

Researchers have developed a robotic finger that can perform routine medical exams like those conducted by doctors, helping to address the growing shortage of trained professionals.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Insurance administrative services company Landmark Admin reported that a data breach from a May cyberattack affected over 800,000 people.

Sotheby's will auction the first artwork created by Ai-Da, the world's first robot artist created in 2019 by British gallerist Aidan Meller.

More than 250 million users of the Verizon Messages app will have to switch to another app. Verizon is shutting down Messages in the next month.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson provides a list of 10 celebrities who are the most targeted by deepfake scams, including Tom Hanks.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how Vast's Haven-1, launching in 2025, transforms space living with human-centric design.

UnitedHealth confirms over 100 million Change Healthcare users had their data stolen. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals what happened and what caused the breach.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how iOS 18 brings new text formatting and animated effects to the Messages app.

Whether you're a social media veteran or novice, Facebook friend request scams are common. Kurt the CyberGuy provides tips to keep your account safe.

Relieve Me of Myself

Spirituality