Submitted
by David Miller
Matthew 11:28 (NIV)
28 “Come to me, all you
who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
What are you carrying today that doesn't belong to you? What
worry, concern, burden, anxiety are you carrying that only Jesus can carry? Our
Good Shepherd has a request to make of us today. We may not be ready to
obey...not because it is something we don't want to do, but rather it is
something we struggle to do. But if we obey, we will find amazing peace and
rest. Ready? Here it is:
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. He
makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters."
(Psalm 23:1-2)
When you look at the original meaning of the verb here (makes me lie down), you can sense the
demand in it. It is not a suggestion like:
"He asks me to lie down” or "He suggests I lie
down." The word 'raba' in Hebrew is
a command meaning to rest; lay something down; to lay down in rest, security
and safely. God is commanding you and me to lay down our burden and spiritually
rest our souls in Him.
A shepherd has to put much time into working the field; tilling
it, cultivating it and planting it...in order to grow the young, tender, green
shoots of grass the sheep like best. Then the shepherd could graze his sheep on
his finished work. The Shepherd of our
souls desires you and me to graze on His finished work on the cross. If He
could save us, He can certainly handle whatever worries us and burdens us!
He desires you and me to lay down our burdens, not just because
He can handle it, but because He cares for YOU! Look at 1 Peter 5:7(NIV) 7 Cast
all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. The psalmist also
reminds us in Psalm 55:22 (NIV) 22 Cast
your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous
be shaken. God’s desire for us is to not
be shaken, not be moved off the foundation of His word, and not to be living in
a constant state of defeat, fear, worry, or anxiety.
Right now, in the midst of that worry or issue or concern...the
God of the universe is asking you to turn it over to Him. Let Him think on it
and work it out in His timing and His perfect way! We need only turn our minds
on Him and meditate on His word and His completed work.
Our
Father does not intend for us to carry the burdens He alone can shoulder.
Choose to make a list of burdens that you can lay down at His feet and leave
there! Then choose to meditate on Psalm 23 and trust our Shepherd to renew us
each day.
