Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you. Psalm 55:22
Sometimes I breathe them so often, they feel like they are a part of me. It seems like one tangled mess to pull my fears and the pain they inflict apart and out of from who You have made me to be.
But You, You have an exit strategy.
I praise You, Lord, who can take all of me. I am not too much for You — in fact my “too much” has been designed for the sole purpose of being exchanged. This stuff I want to get through, in order to give myself permission to get to You, is my ticket.
I come bearing burdens and meet the Burden Carrier. I come with heavy yoke, and leave light-footed.
Jesus, where else on this earth can I receive this sort of exchange rate? My burdens carry me to You like a treasure map.
What do I bring You but my broken shell and what do You not give me in return?
It’s possible to have this instantaneous turn-around. Inertia tells me that when I feel the onset of this burden, I’m headed for a long ride in the same direction — but God, You speak otherwise.
Lord, You more than endure me, You bear me up. You stay sure-footed. You take what is limp and carry it until my own feet can’t help but run. You engulf my burden in all that is You and I walk away radiant.
It’s possible.
With You, Jesus, my worst days are capable of becoming my very best. You hide testimony in the pockets of my pain and I, the blind woman, am offered a chance at sight. A chance at You. A chance to behold — through my adoration, in the midst of unwrapping myself from the burden that’s entangled me — and to become the beauty I am seeing in the Man I’m beholding.
Who is this God-Man who takes the very moments that I think could do me in and carries me over them?
Father, burden-bearer, I adore You.
**So what do I do with these posts, you ask, other than just read them? First, if you haven’t yet, read: Why I Adore to give you a context for this little space on my blog. (This post also gives context.)
If you are compelled, I invite you to participate. Set up a space and time in your own life to begin adoring. Over laundry or dinner dishes, on your commute to work, or in the wee morning hours — five or ten minutes is a great start. You can use the verse I list here every day or two as a launch pad for your own adoration.
Then practice praise.
Add to my adoration here, by posting a comment with your own words back to God about God …or hide it in your heart. Or wait until a Monday and link up to my adoration posts with your own adoration.
I promise your weary soul won’t regret it.
***You can easily subscribe to these devotional meditations as they are delivered, by using this feed: http://www.EveryBitterThingisSweet.com/posts/chai/feed or by entering your email address in the second box on the right-hand side… (scroll up a bit)
Additionally, all of the Morning Chai Posts can be seen, in the order of posting, by clicking here or adding this address to your reader: http://EveryBitterThingisSweet.com/posts/chai
