“Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” (Matt. 11: 28-29).
Jesus it the “Living Word” of God and we can safely lean upon Him every day of our lives. His words help us make it through all our days and keep us in all our ways. We have so much for which to be thankful. God’s Word is blessed assurance in our lives which will never fail. It is a living covenant of truth and life which shall never cease.
The most precious book ever written is the “Holy Bible.” It is more than just pages between a leather cover, His words are ‘spirit and life’ within… given by inspiration to sustain and keep us all our days. God’s Word becomes alive within our hearts when received by faith. We are admonished to “cast our burdens” upon the Lord and receive his promises. We are also told to take on the Lord’s yoke and burden in Matthew 11.
The word ‘burden’ in Scripture means: “what is given by Providence” or “a lot” in life. God will give us His burden in exchange for our heavy burdens. He has foreordained many good things for his children which may be received by following Him in love and faith. Burdens are also defined as ‘weights’ carried, which can easily beset a Christian, and hinder them in life’s race. The yoke of the Lord is easy and His burden is light. We don’t have to carry our burdens as the Lord will carry them when we cast all our cares upon Him.
There are weights or burdens of worry, anxiety, doubt, fear, intimidation, hurts, and many other things which should not be carried by Christians. These can become strongholds if allowed to stay in a life. The Lord has promised His burden will not weigh us down, and He will lift us up. He will give us rest, peace, faith, confidence, love, joy and be with us always.
To be ‘sustained ‘by the Lord is the greatest blessing of all when we receive his salvation. Sustenance is defined as ‘preservation of life,’ a ‘reviving or revival within’ which we all need in our Christian walk. The word ‘sustained’ in Hebrew means “to prop or lean upon, to take hold of, bear up or establish, set self, or to stand fast.” This means when we feel weak, we have one we can lean on. We can be established and upheld by the power of the Lord without fear of failing if we rely on his power. We must cast our burdens upon Him who is able to keep us.
Receiving Christ and his burden is receiving real life, hope, joy, love and peace.
Casting our burdens upon the Lord brings freedom to our lives as it ‘separates the weight of heavy burden’ from our lives. God is love and not a hard “taskmaster.” We are to “put off” or “lay apart” the old man with his deeds, as in Col. 3: 8-10. ‘Putting on the new man’ means to be invested with spiritual garments or “to be endued” with power in Greek meaning. Without His power to bear us up or carry us, we could not serve the Lord as He intends. It is only by receiving the words and will of the Lord, by being “doers” of His Word, that we can stand with assurance of being steadfast and unmovable. It is only “by his Spirit” we can have and keep victory.
Claim God’s promises today as David the Psalmist in Psalm 62: 2. “He only is my Rock and my salvation; He is my Defense; I shall not be greatly moved.” He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. The God we serve is faithful and true. As He blesses us daily, may we offer unto Him sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving with a joyful heart.
Blessings in Christ,
Jo Ann Kelly
J. P.’s Inspirations (c) 03-04