15th. September 2020. Daily Devotion
19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Saviour, who daily bears our burdens. 20 Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death. Psalm 68:19-20
I was talking to someone whose life seems to lurch from one problem to the next and who is finding the burden of it “sair to bear.”
These thoughts are a reflection on the verses above:
David also says, “Cast your burden on the Lord (releasing the weight of it) and He will sustain you.” God the magnificent burden-carrier invites His people to give their overwhelming burdens to Him.
Psalm 145 describes the ingredients in God’s medicine that give instant relief. “The Lord helps the fallen and lifts up those bent beneath their loads.” God’s prescription provides release and healing, and the side effects are immediate peace and rest!
In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus promised freedom from your burdens; rest; peace; and healing for your soul. He said: “Come to Me, all you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.”
A boy’s school in Massachusetts once owned a team of white oxen. It was noted that when one was brought out to work, no matter where the other ox was, it always went and stood beside it so that they might be yoked together. Jesus is saying to us, “Come and share my yoke with me and we will plough the field of life together.”
Prayer
God of our life, there are days when the burdens we carry chafe our shoulders and weigh us down; when the road seems dreary and endless, the skies gray and threatening; when our lives have no music in them and our hearts are lonely, and our souls have lost their courage. Flood the path with light, turn our eyes to where the skies are full of promise. . . St Augustine.
Lord God, thank You for Your willingness to share our burdens along with Your promise to give us peace and rest. Amen.
Prayers in time of Covid
It is difficult to make sense of what is happening in our world suffering from the virus. We might be tempted to feel abandoned. But give us the confidence, Lord,
that out of all this can come a deeper knowing of your love and care for us. Yes, we are vulnerable, but may that vulnerability open us to a deeper sense of your presence in our lives. Amen.
Lord sometimes when we are frustrated or angry, we can be unkind to those we love the most. This can be especially true during this time of stress and anxiety brought on by the corona virus. So we call upon your name to help us to control our own anxiety. Help us to be patient with those close to us who are feeling pain in some way at this time. Amen
