Cast Your Burden on the LORD..

Cast your burden on the LORD,

And He shall sustain you;

He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.—Psalm 55:22

Beloved…I don’t know about you, but I need this reminder every day. Today was no exception. I like what John MacArthur says about this verse as well as Matthew Henry. I have found them both helpful to meditate on when anxiety starts to take hold. 

The word for burden implies one’s circumstances, one’s lot. The psalmist promises that the Lord will uphold the believer in the struggles of life.—John MacArthur. 

He encourages himself and all good people to commit themselves to God, with confidence in him. He himself resolves to do so (v. 23): "I will trust in thee, in thy providence, and power, and mercy, and not in my own prudence, strength, or merit; when bloody and deceitful men are cut off in the midst of their days I shall still live by faith in thee." 

And this he will have others to do (v. 22): "Cast thy burden upon the Lord," whoever thou art that art burdened, and whatever the burden is. "Cast thy gift upon the Lord" (so some read it); "whatever blessings God has bestowed upon thee to enjoy commit them all to his custody, and particularly commit the keeping of thy soul to him." Or, "Whatever it is that thou desirest God should give thee, leave it to him to give it to thee in his own way and time. 

Cast thy care upon the Lord," so the Septuagint, to which the apostle refers, 1 Pt. 5:7. Care is a burden; it makes the heart stoop (Prov. 12:25); we must cast it upon God by faith and prayer, commit our way and works to him; let him do as seemeth him good, and we will be satisfied. 

To cast our burden upon God is to stay ourselves on his providence and promise, and to be very easy in the assurance that all shall work for good. If we do so, it is promised, 1. That he will sustain us, both support and supply us, will himself carry us in the arms of his power, as the nurse carries the sucking-child, will strengthen our spirits so by his Spirit as that they shall sustain the infirmity. He has not promised to free us immediately from that trouble which gives rise to our cares and fears; but he will provide that we be not tempted above what we are able, and that we shall be able according as we are tempted. 2. That he will never suffer the righteous to be moved, to be so shaken by any troubles as to quit either their duty to God or their comfort in him. However, he will not suffer them to be moved for ever (as some read it); though they fall, they shall not be utterly cast down.—Matthew Henry

Commit your way to the LORD,

Trust also in Him,

And He shall bring it to pass.

He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,

And your justice as the noonday.—Psalm 37:5-6

"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

"So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

"Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.—Matthew 6:25-34

casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.—1 Peter 5:7

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;

For the LORD upholds him with His hand.—Psalm 37:24

Wait on the LORD;

Be of good courage,

And He shall strengthen your heart;

Wait, I say, on the LORD!—Psalm 27:14

My soul, wait silently for God alone,

For my expectation is from Him.

He only is my rock and my salvation;

He is my defense;

I shall not be moved.

In God is my salvation and my glory;

The rock of my strength,

And my refuge, is in God.

Trust in Him at all times, you people;

Pour out your heart before Him;

God is a refuge for us.—Psalm 62:1-8

I have set the LORD always before me;

Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;

My flesh also will rest in hope.

For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,

Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

You will show me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.—Psalm 16:8-11

I will lift up my eyes to the hills—

From whence comes my help?

My help comes from the LORD,

Who made heaven and earth.

He will not allow your foot to be moved;

He who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, He who keeps Israel

Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD is your keeper;

The LORD is your shade at your right hand.

The sun shall not strike you by day,

Nor the moon by night.

The LORD shall preserve you from all evil;

He shall preserve your soul.

The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in

From this time forth, and even forevermore.—Psalm 121

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one."—John 10:27-30

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."—Matthew 11:28-30

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.—Philippians 4:6-7

Daniel Purposed in His Heart…

“So this Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius [even] in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.” - Daniel 6:28

I have always loved the prophet, Daniel.  He stole my heart from the very first chapter of his book on my very first reading of it nearly 30 years ago.

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs.—Daniel 1:8 (emphasis mine)

From that moment on I wanted to be a woman who purposed in her heart to obey God. Difficult decisions were no longer fraught with angst because my heart had already been consulted.  The decision to obey God had already been made.   

This was the secret (IMHO) to Daniel’s success. Daniel went from a young captive to:

Under Nebuchadnezzar’s rule…

—ruler over the province of Babylon

—chief prefect over all wise men

Under Nebuchadnezzar’s son, Belshazzar’s rule…

Daniel was promoted to third ruler in his kingdom

Under King Darius’ rule…

Prime-minister over the entire Medo-Persian Empire

There is no doubt that in the eyes of the world Daniel was successful. But here is the thing that I really love about Daniel. Worldly success was NEVER his goal. His goal was always to be a faithful, obedient servant of His God. 

Beloved…there is so much more to Daniel’s story and how God used his obedience not only in his own lifetime but also many years into the future, but for me the lesson that I glean is always the same. 

Faithfulness to God = True Success

Father…by Your gracious Spirit help me to remain faithful like Daniel.  Use all that comes my way in this life…every circumstance and every trial…for Your glory and for my good. May Your fruit be found in me. 

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."—Joshua 1:8-9

Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.—1 Corinthians 4:1-2

But I Will Remember…

 But I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High.”

11 I will remember the works of the LORD;

Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.

12 I will also meditate on all Your work,

And talk of Your deeds.

13 Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary;

Who is so great a God as our God? The 

14 You are the God who does wonders;

You have declared Your strength among the peoples.

15 You have with Your arm redeemed Your people,

The sons of Jacob and Joseph.

Selah—Psalm 77:10-15

Psalm 77 is the remembering psalm. In the first section of this Psalm the writer remembers God and is troubled.  He complains and his spirit is overwhelmed. 

7 Will the Lord cast off forever?

And will He be favorable no more?

8 Has His mercy ceased forever?

Has His promise failed forevermore?

9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?

Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies?

Selah

Things begin to change in verse 10.  Here the psalmist purposes to focus on the Lord’s goodness toward him..on His steadfast love and past deliverances.  At this point the psalm ceases to be a lament and instead continues as a hymn of praise.  ❤️Asaph exchanges the spirit of heaviness for a garment of praise.❤️

My daughter and I were in a similar situation just yesterday.  In the middle of our complaining we purposed to take turns sharing thanksgivings instead. Like Asaph, even though nothing in our circumstances changed, our hearts were lightened and our spirits lifted.

Beloved..Life is a spiritual battle.  Trials, depression and discouragement are inevitable in this fallen world. But our God goes before us, is in us and fights for us. In Him, we are more than conquerors.  God’s love and grace are unfailing.  Bring your heart to Him who loves You with an everlasting love.  There has NEVER...no not EVER been a time when His sustaining grace has not met me.  I have never...again...no, not ever...gone to Him and come away uncomforted.

 6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me;

Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan,

And from the heights of Hermon,

From the Hill Mizar.

7 Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls;

All Your waves and billows have gone over me.

8 The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime,

And in the night His song shall be with me—

A prayer to the God of my life.

—Psalm 42:6-8

His waves and billows go over us but they will not overflow us. 

Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by your name;

You are Mine.

2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.—Isaiah 43:1-2

“When my soul fainted within me,

I remembered the LORD;

And my prayer went up to You,

Into Your holy temple.—Jonah 2:7

Trust in Him at all times, you people;

Pour out your heart before Him;

God is a refuge for us.

Selah—Psalm 62:8

“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith”—1 John 5:4

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.—Romans 8:37-39

22 Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed,

Because His compassions fail not.

23 They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

24 "The LORD is my portion," says my soul,

"Therefore I hope in Him!"

25 The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,

To the soul who seeks Him.—Lamentations 3:22-25

11 Why are you cast down, O my soul?

And why are you disquieted within me?

Hope in God;

For I shall yet praise Him,

The help of my countenance and my God.—Psalm 42:11

The Goodness of God Endures Continually…

The goodness of God endures continually.—Psalm 52b

The world is filled with evil but the goodness of God endures continually. Beloved…focus your heart right there today. Let this verse be your song in the night and your light in the darkness. Let its truth lift your heart and enable your spirit to sing as the nightingale. Let it be the lens through which you view your circumstances as well as the world around you.

As a believer, Christ has stepped into our darkness.  His steadfast love never ceases. His mercy, grace, and lovingkindness surround us and follow hard after us. In Him is our hope and our comfort even and especially in the midst of tragedy, turmoil, grief and unrest.  Cleave unto Him.  His goodness endures continually.

But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who [reverently] fear Him, And His righteousness to children's children,—Psalm 103:17

O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;

For His compassion and lovingkindness endure forever! —Psalm 107:1

I would have despaired had I not believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD

In the land of the living.

Wait for and confidently expect the LORD;

Be strong and let your heart take courage;

Yes, wait for and confidently expect the LORD.—Psalm 27:13-14

The wormwood and the gall.

20 My soul still remembers

And sinks within me.

21 This I recall to my mind,

Therefore I have hope.

22 Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed,

Because His compassions fail not.

23 They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

24 "The LORD is my portion," says my soul,

"Therefore I hope in Him!"—Lamentations 3:19-24

7 Deep calls unto deep at the noise of Your waterfalls;

All Your waves and billows have gone over me.

8 The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime,

And in the night His song shall be with me—

A prayer to the God of my life.—Psalm 42:7-8

Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by your name;

You are Mine.

2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.—Isaiah 43:1-2

“When my soul fainted within me,

I remembered the LORD;

And my prayer went up to You,

Into Your holy temple.—Jonah 2:7

Trust in Him at all times, you people;

Pour out your heart before Him;

God is a refuge for us.

Selah—Psalm 62:8

“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith”—1 John 5:4

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.—Romans 8:37-39

22 Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed,

Because His compassions fail not.

23 They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

24 "The LORD is my portion," says my soul,

"Therefore I hope in Him!"

25 The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,

To the soul who seeks Him.—Lamentations 3:22-25

The Mark of God…

 

and the LORD said to him, "Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it." To the others He said in my hearing, "Go after him through the city and kill; do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity. --Ezekiel 9:4-5

  

God sent six angels to carry out His judgment over the city of Jerusalem.  There was one among the angels that seemed to stand out.  He was clothed in linen and had a writer's inkhorn at his side.  This could be the pre-incarnate Christ, the Angel of the Lord.

Verse 3 says the glory of God had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the temple." The glory of God was departing the temple and the city prior to its destruction. The departure was gradual.  First it left the Holy of Holies....from between the wings of the cherubs...then to the threshold of the temple...then to the East Gate (10:18,19) and finally to the Mount of Olives to the east.  (11:22-23)  God was about the leave the temple in Jerusalem never to return until Jesus returns set up His kingdom.  The glory of God was departing...it was on the move.  What a solemn moment...the visual sign of the presence of God departing.  

God's departure removed all protection and gave the people over to destruction. The angelic scribe dressed in linen who had the writer's inkhorn at his side (the Angel of the Lord) was called by God to mark the righteous who had been faithful and who sighed and cried over the abominations done in the city.  Ezekiel goes on to say but "to the others He said in my hearing , "Go after him through the city and kill, do not let your eye spare, nor have any pity.  Utterly slay old and young men, maidens and little children and women; but do not come near anyone on whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary."  (begin with the elders of Israel who had committed wicked abominations in the temple and were corrupt both in their practices and their thoughts.)

Then He said to me, "Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the room of his idols? For they say, 'The LORD does not see us, the LORD has forsaken the land.' " --Ezekiel 8:12

The marked ones reminded me of the blood on the lintel to protect Israel from God's judgment on Egypt.   The mark identified these people personally with God. Grace for His people and especially for His remnant.!!  Praise to our God!! There are so many example of the mercy God shows to His people throughout the Old and the New Testaments.  

I can't even voice the comfort this brings me.  God marks those who are His.  Those who as a friend pointed out fear the Lord and hate evil.  We are not appointed for wrath.  We are always under His care and protection.  We have a Mediator, a Great High Priest who lives to make intercession for us!

For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,--1Thessalonians 5:9

And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plague--Revelation 18:4

Come, my people, enter your chambers, And shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, Until the indignation is past.--Isaiah 26:20

And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it.--Exodus 12:7

Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, And the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the LORD And who meditate on His name.  "They shall be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "On the day that I make them My jewels.  And I will spare them As a man spares his own son who serves him." --Malachi 3:16-17

saying, "Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.--Revelation 7:3

They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. --Revelation 9:4

Chapter 11 verse 16 speaks of a sanctuary for God's people wherever they are. 

Therefore say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Although I have cast them far off among the Gentiles, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet I shall be a little sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone." ' --Ezekiel 11:16

God is everywhere present and He is wherever God's people are.  God was promising His presence here to those who turn to Him.  Today, to those of us who believe Acts 17 says this:

God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.  Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,  so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;  for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.' ---Acts 17:24-28 bold emphasis mine.

In judgment, our God always remembers mercy!

Now the LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth,  keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation." --Exodus 34:5-7

For the Lord Knows the Way of the Righteous…

For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,

But the way of the ungodly shall perish.—Psalm 1:6

The LORD of heaven and earth knows me. I find that fact so very comforting.  Read Psalm 139 today and revel in the knowledge that our God not only “knows” everything but He is personally and intimately involved in the lives of those that belong to Him…of those that have placed their trust in Him. 

In John 10:14 Jesus tells us that He is the good Shepherd. 

I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.

God not only knows “me” but He is with “me” as I journey through this vale of tears attending to my every need. 

The LORD is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;

For You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

My cup runs over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the LORD

Forever.

I am His child.  I have received the Spirit of adoption by whom I can now cry, Abba, Father!  I am a heir of God and a joint heir with Christ.    

Beloved…What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be successful against us? He who did not spare even His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?

 O LORD, You have searched me and known me.

You know my sitting down and my rising up;

You understand my thought afar off.

You comprehend my path and my lying down,

And are acquainted with all my ways.

For there is not a word on my tongue,

But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.

You have hedged me behind and before,

And laid Your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

It is high, I cannot attain it.—Psalm 139:1-6

My God knows all and even in all that knowing, He has promised never leave me nor forsake me. Instead of stepping back with that depth of knowledge, He steps forward. He encompasses my path. He hedges me behind and before and lays His hand upon me. He draws near to me in His faithful lovingkindness. 

This is my comfort this morning and this is my joy as I journey through this life. My Jesus is my best friend and He is always with me.  His eyes never close, His divine love surrounds me and His strong protective arm watches out for me. Praying today that it is yours as well.