“Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22
There is a story in the Talmud of a poor man who had no wagon or donkey to carry his heavy bundles. He had to carry the load on his back and walk many miles with his burdens to the village. A wealthy man with a large wagon rode by. Seeing the poor man struggle with his burdens, he stopped and offered the man a ride. The poor man was more than grateful to have his burden eased.
After traveling for some time, the wealthy man noticed that his companion was sitting with his bundles still upon his shoulders. “Why don’t you put your belongings down?” asked the wealthy man. “There is plenty of room in my wagon to lay your burdens down. Are they not heavy?”
“Indeed, they are,” sighed the poor man. “But you have been more than gracious to offer me a ride, and I do not wish to take advantage of you by weighing down your wagon.”
Have you ever seen yourself in this story?
Often, we come to the Lord with a need or with something that is troubling us. Knowing that the Lord has heard our prayer, we thank Him for hearing us, and for meeting our needs. Then we get up and go about our daily chores, still carrying a heavy burden on our hearts, wondering and worrying about how things will turn out.
Jesus hears us every time we pray. He already knows our need before we even ask. So, when we give it to Him in prayer, we can leave it there and just trust that the answer is on the way. We can trust the promise given in Isaiah 53:4 “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows.”
Psalm 55:22 (NKJV): “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.”
Thought For Today: “And wonder of wonders, the heart that was breaking, the pain that was hurting, the trial. Is no longer my burden—but His, and my portion is gladness, and joy, and a smile.” (Poem ‘Behind The Burden’ by Mildred Allen Jeffery)
Devotion by Anne Johnston
