Burdens No Longer Boulders

“Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” -Psalm 55:22

What is it going on in life? What are the roadblocks, the difficult situations, the hard relationships, the struggles? What are the things that bring you an unhealthy burden, that drain you of life and energy?

These are the things we are to cast on the Lord, turning over the burdens, giving them to God. This verse is a prayer of release: “God take these burdens, I can't handle them. I need you to carry me through.” He will never permit the righteous to be moved. The righteous will not be beaten down and left to languish. They will be stable and kept by God.

Christian, do you know that the Psalmist is talking about you when he says “the righteous”? You who have believed in Jesus for salvation actually wear the righteousness of Christ. It is because of Jesus that God hears your cry of release. It is because of Jesus that you have a place to cast your burdens. And it is because of Jesus that you will not be moved. He sustains, he covers, he holds you.

Today, know you are held and free to cast your burdens on the One who will carry you through. Let them go, and cling to him.

Freedom to Follow

“At the command of the LORD they camped, and at the command of the LORD they set out. They kept the charge of the LORD, at the command of the LORD by Moses.” -Numbers 9:23

Israel in the wilderness had a visible cue for moving or waiting, a clear direction from God each. Clear instruction on where to go. A pillar of fire or smoke, a tent and a people.

In Christ, we have a much better deal than the smoke and flames of the wilderness journey. We have the gift of the Holy Spirit to brighten our eyes and minds to the authority of Scripture, and we have a wonderful Savior to follow. Through the work of Jesus for us, we are now free to follow his guidance without fear of failure or misreading the cues. We might mess it up, but he has us covered.

The Spirit also awakens in us passions and pursuits that have been prepared for us ahead of time by Jesus (Eph. 2:10), so that we could walk in the love he secured for us.

So today, know you are no dutiful former slave under a new master; you are a child of God, redeemed and freed to follow Jesus for his glory and your good. Go for it.