“Yet you have not called on Me, Jacob, you have not wearied yourself for me, Israel.” (Isaiah 43:22 NIV)
If I’m being transparent, I woke up tired today. Our midweek move has caught up with me and I feel it in my bones. It’s Sunday and it’s my privilege to fill the pulpit this morning but in the early hours it felt like burden, not a pleasure. I had to pause and call for help. I texted a few friends for prayer support and then I put on some worship music and began praying in the Spirit. The strength I lacked leached in as I shared my burden with our Lord.
So often we attempt to carry our life in our own strength. And we wear ourselves out when we were meant to share our burden and with a holy and strong God.
Life is unnecessarily burdensome when we bear it on our own. We shoulder a load undesigned for our frame. In today’s text, God asks the Israelites and us; why haven’t you called on Me?
We have great strength, authority and wisdom within reach. We need only to invite the Lord into our situation. He’s waiting, ready to intervene with resources and hope. He has peace in hand, prepared to impart it to us if we’ll only ask.
“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 NIV)
Lord, please forgive us for all the times we attempt to carry our own load. We are willful creatures. We realize You are waiting with exactly what we need, if we’ll only call out to You. Today we cry out, we need Your intervention in our story. Please come close with all we require to live for Your glory. Amen.