There are two readings for today.
SCRIPTURE: 1 Peter 5
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. [1 Peter 5:6-7]
Peter is encouraging believers who are going through a tough time.
He reminds the leaders to care for the struggling ones, and he reminds them all to submit to one another in humility.
He reminds them how the devil is always on the prowl, and that believers all over the world are going through their own battles.
And then he reminds them to submit to God, to entrust themselves to His care, and to trust that He is in control (His mighty hand) no matter what happens.
Whatever your troubles, cast them on the Lord, He will carry you through them!
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 does not say that following Him will be easy.
He talks about persecution, self-denial, being rejected by family and friend.
He also warns about how the devil prowls around looking for ways to bring us down.
But He also reminds us that we can trust Him, that He will carry us through our hardships and see us through to the end.
He yokes Himself to us in our struggles, and carries the weight of our burdens.
With Him, the yoke is light, because He carries it with us.
It is still a yoke; that is, it still means that we will experience the heavy load of hardship and effort in this life.
But He is gentle and humble, and He cares for us.
Come to Him, cast all your cares on Him, and trust that He will lift you up.
In due time – these are important words.
Not immediately, not when we expect it, but in due time.
In His time, when His purpose is accomplished, when all the people that He wants to impact and bless are affected, then He will lift us up.
That time may not be now.
In the meantime, stay sober and be alert, humble yourself before one another and do what is right and good.
Entrust your life and your purpose to the Lord, and He will carry you through.
There is a burden to following Jesus, but with His help it is light.
And one day He will lift us up, because He really does care for us!
PRAYER:
Lord, remind me of how much You care. Help me to feel Your hand supporting me through my burdens. Help me to stand firm, until You lift me up!
Verses 6 and 7 stood out in this reading. ‘Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.’
As I start a new school year, I am a servant leader. I need to be humble in His presence. It is not what my hands have done to make the new school year a possibility with 300 students, but His. My God is great! My God is good. My God is awesome, blessing us more than we ever expected or dreamed of. Our God reigns! He has blessed us on our way as we stand on the threshold of a new school year – providing for our needs and still getting more onboard filling in the ‘holes.’ Thank You Lord.
And worry. Why worry? I need to place all my worries and cares upon Him. He is God! And I am His. He cares for His own. And so my worries of the new school year getting all prepared, getting the staff onboard, for my family in the States and Canada, for Jack struggling with cancer, for the government here in Haiti or Canada or the US or Uganda or Japan, . . . I need to place it all at the foot of the cross and walk away. It is all in His hands because He knows me.
And so today, I will continue to walk in His SonShine and enjoy the day in joy because I walk daily with my risen Saviour, Jesus Christ, my Lord. That’s the only way to walk.
I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses
And the voice I hear, falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses
And He walks with me
And He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known
He speaks and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing
And He walks with me
And He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known
I’d stay in the garden with Him
‘Tho the night around me be falling
But He bids me go; through the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling
And He walks with me
And He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known.
PTL, I had electricity this morning and therefore internet connection. First time since my arrival. God is good. Good is God. Always. All the time.