Lamentations 2:1-9
Psalms 55, 74
2 Corinthians 1:23-2:11
Mark 12:1-11
“Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22
It sounds so easy; just cast your burdens to God. He’ll take care of them. But, wait! It really doesn’t say that. It just says to give the burden to God and he’ll sustain you; and, “never permit the righteous to be moved.” There’s nothing there saying you will be relieved of your burden, just that God will help you carry it. God expects us to labor on, but reminds us that His care can make our burden light. Even his son, Jesus, was not relieved of his burden as he prayed in Gethsemane, instead He endured the humiliation, and suffering of dying on the cross calling for His Father to forgive His tormentors.
To each of us individually the burdens we are struggling with can feel insurmountable, and in many circumstances they are difficult. Illness with a poor prognosis, inability to find a job, a marriage falling apart, or a juvenile who seems bent on self-destruction. There are no easy solutions, and God reminds us of this, but He also reminds us not to turn away from Him. Instead, He encourages us to follow Jesus’ example by praying for strength and guidance to keep moving forward.
In this season of Lent, the scriptures remind us that God expects us to carry our individual burdens, but to continue to look to Him for strength. Even God’s beloved son was not spared His fate, but died to fulfill the prophecy foretold.
Holy God, we have been blessed with an overwhelming abundance in our lives, but also with burdens we feel we are not able to carry any longer. Give us strength and renewed faith to allow us to carry on. We thank you for the gift of your most precious Son and all that he taught us about your love. In the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen
Lyn Morris