Tag: burdens

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Luke Devotionals

Weighed down?

Burdens

But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life… (Luke 21:34, ESV)

The words “weighed down” really struck a chord with me this morning.

I look at the news every day, and it’s easy to get weighed down by all that’s going on in the world.

Some people deal with it by trying to escape, whether by drinking or drugs, or by throwing themselves into their work or hobbies.

Others “deal” with it by moaning and groaning on social media.

But how often do we do what Jesus commanded? What Jesus himself practiced?

How often do we take time with our Father and pray? (Luke 21:36-37)

By doing so, we not only gain strength to stand, but we also gain perspective.

The Kingdom of God is near. This world and it’s problems won’t last forever. All Jesus has said will come to pass.

And by remembering that, we’re able to straighten up and raise our heads, knowing our redemption is near. (28)

Is your heart weighed down by all that’s going on in the world? How often are you taking all this to your Father?

Categories
Matthew Devotionals

Helping the struggling

Matthew

They tie up heavy loads that are hard to carry and put them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves aren’t willing to lift a finger to move them. (Matthew 23:4)

It is so easy to condemn those who are struggling with sin. That’s true even when we aren’t adding a myriad of rules to God’s laws as the scribes and Pharisees did.

But God doesn’t call us to simply condemn those struggling with sin. Nor does he call us to simply ignore or downplay their sin.

Rather, he calls us to come alongside people and help them any way we can to overcome their sin. And as we do so, we are to show grace and mercy to them, the same grace and mercy we ourselves have received from Him.

So let us take on the heart of our Lord, who said,

Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)

Categories
Psalms Devotionals

Day after day

Psalms

Day after day he bears our burdens. (Psalm 68:19)

I wonder how often we consider this.

How much does God do for us that we don’t even notice?

Instead, in the midst of our troubles, we think God has abandoned us.

But God never abandons us. Day after day, he bears our burdens.

And of course, on the cross, Jesus bore our greatest burden.

So in our darkest times, when the weight of the world seems to be crushing us, let us cry out with David,

Blessed be the Lord!
Day after day he bears our burdens;
God is our salvation. (19)

Categories
Matthew Matthew 11

Learning from Jesus

Matthew

I’ve got to admit, after graduating from university, I never had a real desire to go back to school and get my master’s degree or anything like that.

Looking back on it now, if I had to do it over again, I might do it.

But going to school can be tough. Homework, exams, and of course, tons of reading.

Yet, Jesus does call us as Christians to go to school. No, I’m not talking about going to seminary or Bible college, although God may very well call you to go there. But Jesus is calling us to enter his school.

He said,

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. (Luke 11:29)

This was actually something that many rabbis said when calling students to study under them.

What do we learn in Jesus’ school? We learn who the Father is. Jesus said,

No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. (Matthew 11:27)

So many people want to know who God is, but don’t know how. How, after all, can you get to know an invisible God. It’s impossible…unless he is revealed to us.

And that’s what Jesus does. He teaches us what the Father is like. More than that, when we look at the life of Jesus, we see what the Father is like. As Jesus said,

Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. (John 14:9)

When we see the character of Jesus, we see the Father’s character. When we hear the words of Jesus, we hear the Father’s words as well.

We also learn from Jesus how God intended us to live. And how God intends us to live goes far beyond obeying a list of dos and don’ts.

That’s what the Pharisees had. They lived by their lists of dos and don’ts. But so many people in trying to follow them, got weighed down by them.

Instead of finding God’s love and grace, they found condemnation. Instead of finding freedom, they found themselves bound up by all these rules that they couldn’t possibly keep.

But Jesus tells us,

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)

Jesus isn’t about rules and regulations. He’s about drawing near to God. He’s about loving those around us.

And when we are weak, he strengthens us. When we lack wisdom, he gives it to us. When we fall, he picks us up. When we are discouraged, he helps us to keep on keeping on.

Because of this, his teaching is not burdensome. It sets us free.

What is the requirement for entering his school? A humble heart. A teachable heart. Things that the religious folks of Jesus’ day didn’t have, but Jesus’ disciples did.

That’s why Jesus said,

I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. (Matthew 11:25-26)

How about you? Are you ready to join Jesus’ school? Are you ready to learn from Jesus?