By Lisa Wilmore
Scripture to Ponder: “Cast your burden on the LORD, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved” (Psalm 55:22 NKJV).
Dear Hearts,
To begin with, Thomas Ken penned a lyrical hymn that many of us may remember well. As God, through His Holy Spirit, opened my heart and mind to share these words today, his beloved doxology, “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow”, resonated deeply in my spirit. He penned these words in the year 1674: “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!” We must continually say, “Thanks be to God,” offering the service of our lips in praise for Jesus Christ, our reigning Redeemer, and for His Holy Spirit, who guides and strengthens us along the way.
Next, in moments of reflection and thanksgiving, I recall the recent ice storm we endured. The ice was so thick that it blanketed the ground, coated the trees, and weighed heavily upon electrical lines. The thought of facing such devastation again is both frightening and unsettling, and my heartfelt empathy goes out to all who suffered heartache or loss during that difficult time. Yet even in the midst of such trials, we must remember that God loves us, and we must trust Him to carry our burdens and sustain us.
Additionally, you may remember how the trees were burdened with so much ice that branches snapped and, in some cases, entire trees were uprooted. Even now, debris continues to be cleared from roads and yards. The striking truth is that the ice was simply too heavy for the trees to bear. Many of the trees have been destroyed and some are beyond restoration because they were not designed to carry the crushing weight of frozen water clinging to every branch and limb. Similarly, God never intended for us to carry the weight of this world on our own. His Word instructs us to “cast our burdens” upon Him, yet too often we cling to our “gethsemanes”- our problems, our sufferings like the ice clung to the trees.
So, lastly, when you pass by broken or leaning trees, let them serve as a reminder that they were not designed to carry that load, and neither were we. As children walking in obedience, we must learn to release our burdens to God. We were never created to bear such overwhelming weight or load. Jesus has already carried the ultimate load for us. Therefore, our responsibility is to trust Him enough to surrender what was never ours to hold. Let us not live crushed beneath life’s pressures but stand firm as believers sustained by the mighty and faithful hand of God. “God never intended for you to carry the load.” He will carry it for us, if we allow Him to so.
Jesus Saves!
