Burden Bearer!
Verse for Today: Sunday, August 11, 2013
Luke 24:17 – Jesus asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast.
Face often reflects the emotional state of a person. Our faces indicate emotions like joy, satisfaction, irritation, anger and anxiety through changes in blood circulation, movement of the facial muscles and expressions of various kinds including sadness. Jesus the Wonderful Counselor confronted two such sad followers of His whose faces were downcast. Jesus knew that they were agitated and wanted to help them to calm their anxious minds. Jesus had answers to their concerns and fears. In fact, Jesus Himself was the panacea for all their agonies. He took time to explain things to them and comforted them. He became their friend and even dinner guest. He communicated the love of God to them and showed them that He understood their concerns. Even today Jesus comes to us when we are confronted with the reality of heartaches, anxieties, fears and distress. His Word is still the panacea for all our emotional ailments along with the consequential physical and spiritual aberrations in us. Jesus diagnoses all our ailments and gives us the right remedy from His Word. His Spirit takes His Word and applies it to our hearts like a balm to take our pain away and heal our emotional wounds. He walks with us all the time and knows the depth of our emotional entanglements. He looks at us with sympathy and interacts with us as a friend, philosopher and guide. When Jesus is with us, we do not need to feel downcast, but should enjoy His presence. When He speaks to us, we must listen keenly. We must open our eyes to see Him in His glory so as to allow His glory to penetrate into us. Then our pain and misery will be lost in His glorious person. We need to recognize His nearness with us and draw from His power to lift our countenance up and become cheerful.
Dear friend, is your burden heavy and are you finding it difficult to carry it alone? Is your face expressing your emotional hurts and apprehensions vividly? But there is no need for you to swim through the deep waters of grief, distress, tension, frustration and anxiety. Jesus is near you to help you to lighten your load. You have the opportunity now to unload yourself on to the Lord Jesus. He comes to ask you as to what has caused you to feel hurt. He will help you by opening your mind to understand your situation realistically. He will challenge you to trust Him to handle your situations. He will strengthen you physically, emotionally and spiritually so that you will be equipped to face your situation and do the needful. He will continue to walk with you and talk with you and show you His glory. When you are hungry, He will be your heavenly bread. When you are thirsty, He will be your water of life to quench your thirst. He will help you to go to His green pastures and cool waters. You can sit under His shade and enjoy His coolness. He will not leave you as orphans, but will come to you to take care of you. The same Lord who was with Joseph in the pit and in the dungeon will be with you to take away your loneliness. The Lord who was with Paul and Silas in the prison cell will be with you to open your cell so that you can enjoy freedom from the bondage of your situation. Today you have the great privilege to enjoy the counsel, fellowship and company of the Lord and cast all your tensions on Him. When Jesus is near you, there is no need for you to be downcast.
Psalms 55:22 – Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.
Thought for Today
Jesus comes to us to receive all our cares and concerns and convert it into peace and joy.
Prayer for Today
Lord: Help me to walk with You and hold Your hands as You help me to carry my heavy load. Amen!
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