Matthew 11:28
If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I
got a phone message today at 1:47 a.m. - alerting me with another flood
warning for our area. I had forgotten to mute my phone’s volume before
I went to bed. So after getting this “alert,” I had a little trouble
going back to sleep for a bit. I wasn’t worried about a flood in our
neighborhood, since we live on a bluff! But I started thinking about
all of the people who needed a special touch from God…and I probably
spent a good half hour or more praying and asking God to take their
burdens. And then I was able to sleep soundly for several more hours.
This
is a favorite scripture passage…and as I read it today, I thought of
how I handed my burdens to God in prayer this morning - and trusted Him
to manage them. A few close friends and I have exchanged more than one
message lately where we noted that the prayer lists and “burdens” seem
especially lengthy in recent days. I can tell you firsthand that it has
been so comforting to be able to say to God, “Only YOU can fix these
things…and I’m going to let You!”
There have been nights when I
should have tossed and turned with frustration and worry – and plenty
of times in the past that I did exactly that! But of late, I’ve found
that I’m sleeping very well, and I know it is because I am letting God
carry the heavy stuff!
When Jesus gave us these words of
assurance, He did so with complete authority. There is no reason for us
to doubt Him…or to try to handle things on our own. I don’t know about
you, but I discovered that trying to carry heavy burdens was exhausting –
and fruitless. This way seems to be working so much better, and I plan
on sticking with it. What about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label casting burdens on God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label casting burdens on God. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for November 18, 2014
Matthew 11:28-30
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Have you ever been so tired that you could barely put one foot in front of the other? Maybe you stayed up all night studying…or sitting with a child who was sick, fussy, or simply would not sleep. Maybe you were so worried about something that you could not sleep – or eat – and then you were not only worried, but exhausted as well. Perhaps you were traveling for an extended time…trying to get somewhere to someone or to an important event. Maybe you had a project due at school or work, so you pulled an “all-nighter” to get it done.
MAYBE you are mentally tired. You have wrestled with personal issues and the worries and concerns of others – in your immediate circle, your community and the world at large – and everywhere you turn, there seem to be problems, hurts, burdens and heartaches. Just thinking and praying about all of this has left you bone weary and totally drained.
Or maybe you are exhausted by all of the talk about how you should live out your Christian faith. Do this…don’t do that…believe this…don’t believe that…give more…serve more…love more…join a Bible study and sing in the choir…serve on this committee or in this ministry…come to church every time the doors are open…if you say “No!”, you’re turning your back on Jesus…be kind and generous to everyone…never have a “bad day”! It is enough to make our heads spin and cause us to “burn out on religion”!
These thoughts did not come from our gracious, loving God! They are man-made concepts and pressures that have nothing to do with true Christian faith. God sent Jesus to earth to die for our sins…to take our burdens and teach us His gentle, graceful rhythms of unconditional love and care for others. The last thing He wants is for us to run around like chickens with our heads cut off…to wear ourselves out with worry and “busyness”, pressures and guilt over how much we have or have not done.
It’s really very simple…all we have to focus on is Jesus. We may still have to sit up all night with a sick child or loved one…there may be times when we are physically taxed for a while and must operate without adequate sleep. But when we focus on Jesus, He gives us supernatural strength in these moments. And when we “walk with Him and watch how He does it,” all of those “woulda, coulda, shouldas” that play over and over in our head disappear.
Hallelujah! Praise Jesus! He is ready, willing, and able to lighten our load…to show us how to live more freely! He will give us rest of the most important kind and teach us how to live every day for Him - with grace and joy! It doesn’t matter how old you are, where you are in life, how long you have been a Christian – or even if you ARE a Christian yet! This can be the day that things begin to change. This can be the start of the best “rest” you will ever enjoy!
Won’t you shift your focus to Jesus today? Will you spend some time in prayer and conversation with Him and lay whatever exhausts you at His feet? Will you exchange your “yokes and burdens” for His and start to walk in the freedoms and lightness of His unforced rhythms and grace? Aren’t you grateful for God's gift of Jesus? Will this be the day you truly start to show it? Will this be the start of the “best rest” you ever had? Don’t you think it should be?
©2014 Debbie Robus
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Have you ever been so tired that you could barely put one foot in front of the other? Maybe you stayed up all night studying…or sitting with a child who was sick, fussy, or simply would not sleep. Maybe you were so worried about something that you could not sleep – or eat – and then you were not only worried, but exhausted as well. Perhaps you were traveling for an extended time…trying to get somewhere to someone or to an important event. Maybe you had a project due at school or work, so you pulled an “all-nighter” to get it done.
MAYBE you are mentally tired. You have wrestled with personal issues and the worries and concerns of others – in your immediate circle, your community and the world at large – and everywhere you turn, there seem to be problems, hurts, burdens and heartaches. Just thinking and praying about all of this has left you bone weary and totally drained.
Or maybe you are exhausted by all of the talk about how you should live out your Christian faith. Do this…don’t do that…believe this…don’t believe that…give more…serve more…love more…join a Bible study and sing in the choir…serve on this committee or in this ministry…come to church every time the doors are open…if you say “No!”, you’re turning your back on Jesus…be kind and generous to everyone…never have a “bad day”! It is enough to make our heads spin and cause us to “burn out on religion”!
These thoughts did not come from our gracious, loving God! They are man-made concepts and pressures that have nothing to do with true Christian faith. God sent Jesus to earth to die for our sins…to take our burdens and teach us His gentle, graceful rhythms of unconditional love and care for others. The last thing He wants is for us to run around like chickens with our heads cut off…to wear ourselves out with worry and “busyness”, pressures and guilt over how much we have or have not done.
It’s really very simple…all we have to focus on is Jesus. We may still have to sit up all night with a sick child or loved one…there may be times when we are physically taxed for a while and must operate without adequate sleep. But when we focus on Jesus, He gives us supernatural strength in these moments. And when we “walk with Him and watch how He does it,” all of those “woulda, coulda, shouldas” that play over and over in our head disappear.
Hallelujah! Praise Jesus! He is ready, willing, and able to lighten our load…to show us how to live more freely! He will give us rest of the most important kind and teach us how to live every day for Him - with grace and joy! It doesn’t matter how old you are, where you are in life, how long you have been a Christian – or even if you ARE a Christian yet! This can be the day that things begin to change. This can be the start of the best “rest” you will ever enjoy!
Won’t you shift your focus to Jesus today? Will you spend some time in prayer and conversation with Him and lay whatever exhausts you at His feet? Will you exchange your “yokes and burdens” for His and start to walk in the freedoms and lightness of His unforced rhythms and grace? Aren’t you grateful for God's gift of Jesus? Will this be the day you truly start to show it? Will this be the start of the “best rest” you ever had? Don’t you think it should be?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 21, 2012
Matthew 11:28-29
If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest. Take the yoke I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Timmy and I watched “Daisy Bothers Minnie,” a Disney video. Minnie Mouse and her cat, Figero, are all set to relax for the evening, when Daisy calls to say she has a problem at her house and cannot take her “therapeutic bath.” Even though Minnie has plans for the evening, Daisy inserts herself into Minnie’s night and comes right on over. Then she imposes over and over, causing all sorts of problems, and totally interrupting Minnie’s “quiet night at home.” To say that Minnie Mouse was frustrated would be a major understatement. Minnie was more than tired from carrying heavy burdens!
From the demands of family members and friends to school and work - to concerns about the world at large, our burdens can get pretty heavy. Some have worries that seem like they would crush Superman, much less us ordinary humans. Around the world, illness, debt, relationship difficulties, homelessness, war, separation, hunger, fear and oppression, and more weigh heavily on the shoulders of millions of people every minute of the day. But even if your own “burdens” pale in comparison to those of someone in a war-torn country or a person who is facing a serious illness or the prospect of homelessness, they are YOUR burdens and have real significance in your life and the lives of those with whom you interact.
The amazingly wonderful thing is that God can handle ALL burdens. The woman in the Sudan who cannot feed herself or her children can cry out to God just like the student in a college classroom who needs help getting through freshman English! The soldier who is stationed halfway around the world in Afghanistan and won’t be home for Thanksgiving can experience rest in the LORD just as much as the elderly shut-in who will spend the holiday in his/her living room, all alone, watching parades and ballgames on TV.
The hostage in a war-torn country who is beaten and imprisoned can feel the same comfort and care from God as the foster child who is separated from his/her biological family and doesn’t know what will happen next. Every single one of us has “burdens” that seem like more than we can handle at one time or another, and God stands ready to take this load from each of us… if only we will ask Him to do so.
These verses in The Message say in part… “Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to lay my burdens down at the feet of Jesus and learn the unforced rhythms of His grace.
So often, we’re like Minnie Mouse… we reach our limits with friends, family members, work, school, and the worries of our day. We are ready to “have a quiet night” and relax… and something – or someone like Daisy Duck – comes along to ruin our plans. We can become overwhelmed in a hurry. God understands this, and He is saying, “I’ve got this. Let me handle things while you rest.” Aren’t you ready to do this? Isn’t it time we stopped throwing up our hands and screaming in frustration? Won’t you simply pick up the easy, gentle, graceful yoke of God and wear it for a change… and let Him handle the heavy stuff?
©2012 Debbie Robus
If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest. Take the yoke I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Timmy and I watched “Daisy Bothers Minnie,” a Disney video. Minnie Mouse and her cat, Figero, are all set to relax for the evening, when Daisy calls to say she has a problem at her house and cannot take her “therapeutic bath.” Even though Minnie has plans for the evening, Daisy inserts herself into Minnie’s night and comes right on over. Then she imposes over and over, causing all sorts of problems, and totally interrupting Minnie’s “quiet night at home.” To say that Minnie Mouse was frustrated would be a major understatement. Minnie was more than tired from carrying heavy burdens!
From the demands of family members and friends to school and work - to concerns about the world at large, our burdens can get pretty heavy. Some have worries that seem like they would crush Superman, much less us ordinary humans. Around the world, illness, debt, relationship difficulties, homelessness, war, separation, hunger, fear and oppression, and more weigh heavily on the shoulders of millions of people every minute of the day. But even if your own “burdens” pale in comparison to those of someone in a war-torn country or a person who is facing a serious illness or the prospect of homelessness, they are YOUR burdens and have real significance in your life and the lives of those with whom you interact.
The amazingly wonderful thing is that God can handle ALL burdens. The woman in the Sudan who cannot feed herself or her children can cry out to God just like the student in a college classroom who needs help getting through freshman English! The soldier who is stationed halfway around the world in Afghanistan and won’t be home for Thanksgiving can experience rest in the LORD just as much as the elderly shut-in who will spend the holiday in his/her living room, all alone, watching parades and ballgames on TV.
The hostage in a war-torn country who is beaten and imprisoned can feel the same comfort and care from God as the foster child who is separated from his/her biological family and doesn’t know what will happen next. Every single one of us has “burdens” that seem like more than we can handle at one time or another, and God stands ready to take this load from each of us… if only we will ask Him to do so.
These verses in The Message say in part… “Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to lay my burdens down at the feet of Jesus and learn the unforced rhythms of His grace.
So often, we’re like Minnie Mouse… we reach our limits with friends, family members, work, school, and the worries of our day. We are ready to “have a quiet night” and relax… and something – or someone like Daisy Duck – comes along to ruin our plans. We can become overwhelmed in a hurry. God understands this, and He is saying, “I’ve got this. Let me handle things while you rest.” Aren’t you ready to do this? Isn’t it time we stopped throwing up our hands and screaming in frustration? Won’t you simply pick up the easy, gentle, graceful yoke of God and wear it for a change… and let Him handle the heavy stuff?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for October 25, 2012
Matthew 6:25-34
I tell you not to worry about your life. Don’t worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn’t life more than food or clothing? Look at the birds in the sky! They don’t plant or harvest. They don’t even store grain in barns. Yet your Father in heaven takes care of them. Aren’t you worth more than birds?
Can worry make you live longer? Why worry about clothes? Look how the wild flowers grow. They don’t work hard to make their clothes. But I tell you that Solomon with all his wealth wasn’t as well clothed as one of them. God gives such beauty to everything that grows in the fields, even though it is here today and thrown into a fire tomorrow. He will surely do even more for you! Why do you have such little faith?
Don’t worry and ask yourselves, “Will we have anything to eat? Will we have anything to drink? Will we have any clothes to wear?” Only people who don’t know God are always worrying about such things. Your Father in heaven knows that you need all of these. But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well.
Don’t worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. You have enough to worry about today.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
The first time I remember turning to this scripture was almost 40 years ago, when my soon-to-be-husband and I were talking about college. My husband was considering a change of major… and even transferring from the college where he attended (and I was enrolling). He opened the Gideon Bible he had gotten on campus his freshman year and showed me this passage. We agreed that we would not worry about all of the hassles and challenges that changing college campuses – and majors – would bring. If this was God’s plan for us, everything would work out as it should. In the end, we did move to another university, and our coursework progressed in such a manner that we both graduated on the same day… sitting side-by-side.
When we started a new business venture and both quit our “regular” jobs, we again looked to this scripture passage as we considered our budget and how we would pay our bills and stretch our savings while we built the business. God once again met all of our needs… over and above what we had asked for or anticipated.
In the last 25 years, this passage has spoken to me several times… always in a slightly different way. I don’t worry about food and clothing these days, but when other things trouble me, I remind myself that the God who cares about the flowers in the field or the tiniest little bird cares for me, too. These creatures don’t think about how they will make it… they just go about their business, doing whatever their kind is supposed to do. And this is our lesson… to be about the business of doing whatever God has called us to do… to follow His lead and trust Him to work out the details… and to quit worrying.
I’m a pretty seasoned worrier, so this is hard for me… and maybe it’s hard for you, too. But just remind yourself to consider the flowers of the field… the birds up in the air, and how carefully and perfectly God meets their needs. Think over the times in your life when God has already carried you through – and your worrying really didn’t help one bit. Ask Him to give you peace and comfort as He helps you handle whatever is challenging you today… and trust that He will do exactly that.
Don’t worry about tomorrow… give it to God and ask Him to manage it for you. Focus your time and energy on doing things that please and serve Him – and honor His generous blessings upon your life. I guarantee you that God will do a much better job of handling your cares than you or I ever could. Won’t you trust Him to do so?
©2012 Debbie Robus
I tell you not to worry about your life. Don’t worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn’t life more than food or clothing? Look at the birds in the sky! They don’t plant or harvest. They don’t even store grain in barns. Yet your Father in heaven takes care of them. Aren’t you worth more than birds?
Can worry make you live longer? Why worry about clothes? Look how the wild flowers grow. They don’t work hard to make their clothes. But I tell you that Solomon with all his wealth wasn’t as well clothed as one of them. God gives such beauty to everything that grows in the fields, even though it is here today and thrown into a fire tomorrow. He will surely do even more for you! Why do you have such little faith?
Don’t worry and ask yourselves, “Will we have anything to eat? Will we have anything to drink? Will we have any clothes to wear?” Only people who don’t know God are always worrying about such things. Your Father in heaven knows that you need all of these. But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well.
Don’t worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. You have enough to worry about today.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
The first time I remember turning to this scripture was almost 40 years ago, when my soon-to-be-husband and I were talking about college. My husband was considering a change of major… and even transferring from the college where he attended (and I was enrolling). He opened the Gideon Bible he had gotten on campus his freshman year and showed me this passage. We agreed that we would not worry about all of the hassles and challenges that changing college campuses – and majors – would bring. If this was God’s plan for us, everything would work out as it should. In the end, we did move to another university, and our coursework progressed in such a manner that we both graduated on the same day… sitting side-by-side.
When we started a new business venture and both quit our “regular” jobs, we again looked to this scripture passage as we considered our budget and how we would pay our bills and stretch our savings while we built the business. God once again met all of our needs… over and above what we had asked for or anticipated.
In the last 25 years, this passage has spoken to me several times… always in a slightly different way. I don’t worry about food and clothing these days, but when other things trouble me, I remind myself that the God who cares about the flowers in the field or the tiniest little bird cares for me, too. These creatures don’t think about how they will make it… they just go about their business, doing whatever their kind is supposed to do. And this is our lesson… to be about the business of doing whatever God has called us to do… to follow His lead and trust Him to work out the details… and to quit worrying.
I’m a pretty seasoned worrier, so this is hard for me… and maybe it’s hard for you, too. But just remind yourself to consider the flowers of the field… the birds up in the air, and how carefully and perfectly God meets their needs. Think over the times in your life when God has already carried you through – and your worrying really didn’t help one bit. Ask Him to give you peace and comfort as He helps you handle whatever is challenging you today… and trust that He will do exactly that.
Don’t worry about tomorrow… give it to God and ask Him to manage it for you. Focus your time and energy on doing things that please and serve Him – and honor His generous blessings upon your life. I guarantee you that God will do a much better job of handling your cares than you or I ever could. Won’t you trust Him to do so?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for February 6, 2012
Psalm 9:7-10
God holds the high center, he sees and sets the world's mess right. He decides what is right for us earthlings, gives people their just deserts.
God's a safe-house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. The moment you arrive, you relax; you're never sorry you knocked.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Think about a really stressful time in your life… where was your sanctuary? Where did you go to “let your hair down” and relax… what gave you comfort? When I was a little girl, my “sanctuary” was a mossy creek bank across the road from my grandparents’ farm. I still can “channel” the sound of the wind in the pines and feel the softness of that damp moss beneath me… and instantly, I feel calmer. If you are like me, you have dreamed of falling into your cozy bed and getting a good long nap or a night’s rest. Last Christmas Eve, when I was at my wits’ end with the care of my grandmother in the Emergency Room, I even found refuge in the hospital chapel. In that moment, God’s “house” was where I discovered a “safe-house” for my battered nerves!
Surely you have your own list of sanctuaries… places where you feel you can relax during bad times… where you are never sorry you knocked. But what if none of those physical refuges is available? What are you supposed to do then?
As wonderful and comforting as physical safe havens can be, I believe that we truly arrive as Christians when we can “center” ourselves in God any place… at any time. When we stop and focus on Him, we see that He is at work setting the world’s mess right, no matter where we are. I was talking with a friend recently and commented that I had a running joke with someone else that… “If God can fix this, He can fix anything.” My friend quickly retorted… “God CAN fix anything!” And he’s exactly right… but often we have not given Him room to do this!
Today, I want you to take a deep breath… or two or three. Relax and open your heart to God. Allow Him to come in and handle the messes of your day and give you sanctuary, wherever you may be. Learn to find refuge in Him while sitting in traffic, handling the latest crisis of the moment, or struggling with the worries of your day. Nothing is too big for God to handle… and there is no safer place than in His arms. When was the last time you knocked at His “safe-house?” Isn’t this a good time to visit?
©2012 Debbie Robus
God holds the high center, he sees and sets the world's mess right. He decides what is right for us earthlings, gives people their just deserts.
God's a safe-house for the battered, a sanctuary during bad times. The moment you arrive, you relax; you're never sorry you knocked.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Think about a really stressful time in your life… where was your sanctuary? Where did you go to “let your hair down” and relax… what gave you comfort? When I was a little girl, my “sanctuary” was a mossy creek bank across the road from my grandparents’ farm. I still can “channel” the sound of the wind in the pines and feel the softness of that damp moss beneath me… and instantly, I feel calmer. If you are like me, you have dreamed of falling into your cozy bed and getting a good long nap or a night’s rest. Last Christmas Eve, when I was at my wits’ end with the care of my grandmother in the Emergency Room, I even found refuge in the hospital chapel. In that moment, God’s “house” was where I discovered a “safe-house” for my battered nerves!
Surely you have your own list of sanctuaries… places where you feel you can relax during bad times… where you are never sorry you knocked. But what if none of those physical refuges is available? What are you supposed to do then?
As wonderful and comforting as physical safe havens can be, I believe that we truly arrive as Christians when we can “center” ourselves in God any place… at any time. When we stop and focus on Him, we see that He is at work setting the world’s mess right, no matter where we are. I was talking with a friend recently and commented that I had a running joke with someone else that… “If God can fix this, He can fix anything.” My friend quickly retorted… “God CAN fix anything!” And he’s exactly right… but often we have not given Him room to do this!
Today, I want you to take a deep breath… or two or three. Relax and open your heart to God. Allow Him to come in and handle the messes of your day and give you sanctuary, wherever you may be. Learn to find refuge in Him while sitting in traffic, handling the latest crisis of the moment, or struggling with the worries of your day. Nothing is too big for God to handle… and there is no safer place than in His arms. When was the last time you knocked at His “safe-house?” Isn’t this a good time to visit?
©2012 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for November 9, 2011
Psalm 130:1-5
From a sea of troubles I call out to you, LORD. Won't you please listen as I beg for mercy? If you kept record of our sins, no one could last long. But you forgive us, and so we will worship you. With all my heart, I am waiting, LORD, for you! I trust your promises.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Recently I watched a program called “Our America with Lisa Ling” about veterans who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome – PTSD for short. These men and women harbor troubling – even horrific – images and memories of their wartime experiences. One man had been building up anger, rage and frustration for eight years… and taking aim at his wife and children with the emotions that overflowed. Yet he could not express himself… he could not explain what was causing him to be such an ogre. His wife was at a crossroads… should she and the children stay and be subjected to this rage - or should they leave?
The couple spent a week at a retreat in Angel Fire, New Mexico, where therapists specialize in helping veterans with PTSD. Ultimately, this man was able to express his emotions. He had served as a medic in Iraq. When the fighting ended, the civilians began to come to the medics for treatment. They were badly burned, maimed, missing limbs, and more. This man said he did all he could to treat as many as possible. But at the end of the day, many returned home untreated. There was nothing he could do for them. He said he could still see their faces… the emptiness in their eyes… their hopelessness. He said he knew that many of the children he was unable to help went home to die. And he felt guilty.
It took a lot of intensive work to get this man to release his burdens, but he was able to do it… to forgive himself and realize that he did all he could. As one therapist told him, “It’s not on you.” The veteran was able to understand this and acknowledge it… to forgive himself, and to apologize to his wife and family. He was able to accept – and love – himself again… which enabled him to love others.
So many of us are suffering from Spiritual PTSD. We are carrying burdens and sins that Jesus has already forgiven. We should let go of them… but we continue to keep a record, long after Jesus has scattered them to the four winds with His blood on the cross. If we are truly committed to Christ… if we really have invited Him to be LORD of our life and asked His Holy Spirit to dwell within us… we must express our sins and burdens to Him – then let them go. We must love and accept ourselves as Jesus does… so that we can love others in His name.
I don’t know what your “sea of troubles” is today. I don’t know what burdens are weighing you down – what sins you keep picking back up and carrying like a sack of rocks. But I do know that Jesus is waiting to relieve you of all of this. It will take a huge leap of faith on your part – and mine. It’s daunting to truly “let go and let God,” because we have gotten so used to carrying this baggage with us. Even uncomfortable/unpleasant things can become part of our “Comfort Zone,” because they are so familiar.
Today can be the first day for a new Comfort Zone in your life… one where Jesus rules and carries the big stuff, so that you are free to serve Him completely. You can love yourself and others… and do big things in His name. Worship the LORD who carries our “sea of troubles” – and scatters them. Shred the “record books” of your sins and burdens, and operate in faith and the promises of our forgiving and merciful Father.
©2011 Debbie Robus
From a sea of troubles I call out to you, LORD. Won't you please listen as I beg for mercy? If you kept record of our sins, no one could last long. But you forgive us, and so we will worship you. With all my heart, I am waiting, LORD, for you! I trust your promises.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Recently I watched a program called “Our America with Lisa Ling” about veterans who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome – PTSD for short. These men and women harbor troubling – even horrific – images and memories of their wartime experiences. One man had been building up anger, rage and frustration for eight years… and taking aim at his wife and children with the emotions that overflowed. Yet he could not express himself… he could not explain what was causing him to be such an ogre. His wife was at a crossroads… should she and the children stay and be subjected to this rage - or should they leave?
The couple spent a week at a retreat in Angel Fire, New Mexico, where therapists specialize in helping veterans with PTSD. Ultimately, this man was able to express his emotions. He had served as a medic in Iraq. When the fighting ended, the civilians began to come to the medics for treatment. They were badly burned, maimed, missing limbs, and more. This man said he did all he could to treat as many as possible. But at the end of the day, many returned home untreated. There was nothing he could do for them. He said he could still see their faces… the emptiness in their eyes… their hopelessness. He said he knew that many of the children he was unable to help went home to die. And he felt guilty.
It took a lot of intensive work to get this man to release his burdens, but he was able to do it… to forgive himself and realize that he did all he could. As one therapist told him, “It’s not on you.” The veteran was able to understand this and acknowledge it… to forgive himself, and to apologize to his wife and family. He was able to accept – and love – himself again… which enabled him to love others.
So many of us are suffering from Spiritual PTSD. We are carrying burdens and sins that Jesus has already forgiven. We should let go of them… but we continue to keep a record, long after Jesus has scattered them to the four winds with His blood on the cross. If we are truly committed to Christ… if we really have invited Him to be LORD of our life and asked His Holy Spirit to dwell within us… we must express our sins and burdens to Him – then let them go. We must love and accept ourselves as Jesus does… so that we can love others in His name.
I don’t know what your “sea of troubles” is today. I don’t know what burdens are weighing you down – what sins you keep picking back up and carrying like a sack of rocks. But I do know that Jesus is waiting to relieve you of all of this. It will take a huge leap of faith on your part – and mine. It’s daunting to truly “let go and let God,” because we have gotten so used to carrying this baggage with us. Even uncomfortable/unpleasant things can become part of our “Comfort Zone,” because they are so familiar.
Today can be the first day for a new Comfort Zone in your life… one where Jesus rules and carries the big stuff, so that you are free to serve Him completely. You can love yourself and others… and do big things in His name. Worship the LORD who carries our “sea of troubles” – and scatters them. Shred the “record books” of your sins and burdens, and operate in faith and the promises of our forgiving and merciful Father.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 4, 2011
Psalm 109:1-20
I praise you, God! Don't keep silent. Destructive and deceitful lies are told about me, and hateful things are said for no reason. I had pity and prayed [a] for my enemies, but their words to me were harsh and cruel. For being friendly and kind, they paid me back with meanness and hatred.
My enemies said, "Find some worthless fools to accuse him of a crime. Try him and find him guilty! Consider his prayers a lie. Cut his life short and let someone else have his job. Make orphans of his children and a widow of his wife; make his children beg for food and live in the slums. "Let the people he owes take everything he owns. Give it all to strangers. Don't let anyone be kind to him or have pity on the children he leaves behind. Bring an end to his family, and from now on let him be a forgotten man.
"Don't let the LORD forgive the sins of his parents and his ancestors. Don't let the LORD forget the sins of his family, or let anyone remember his family ever lived. He was so cruel to the poor, homeless, and discouraged that they died young. "He cursed others. Now place a curse on him! He never wished others well. Wish only trouble for him! He cursed others more often than he dressed himself.
Let his curses strike him deep, just as water and olive oil soak through to our bones. Let his curses surround him, just like the clothes he wears each day." Those are the cruel things my enemies wish for me. Let it all happen to them!
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
If you want to truly find out what your Christian faith is made of, pray for your enemy. Pray for your opponent, the other candidates, the bully, the overbearing boss, the abusive spouse, the church members who don’t seem to care, and the wayward child. Pray for those we fight against in faraway countries… and the next-door neighbor with home you have an ongoing spat.
In this passage, David is telling God all of the mean things that have been done to him… and yes, they are all pretty rotten. And I’m betting some mean, rotten things have been said and done to each of us over time. But in the end, David asks God to give it all back to his enemies… “Let it all happen to them!”
My question to you is this… “How does this make David any better than those who are mistreating him?” The answer is that it doesn’t. God will mete out consequences and punishment to those who disobey and mistreat others… in His own way. He doesn’t need us to tell Him what to do. At the same time, I don’t want us to be afraid to bare our souls to God and tell Him how we really feel. First of all, He knows already… and secondly, this may have been what David was doing – venting, without really expecting God to be so cruel to the enemies. God wants us to be honest with Him about how we feel… to give Him a chance to show us His power and love – and to possibly temper our feelings and show us a better way. Then we must trust Him to decide how to handle things.
At the end of the day, we are all God’s children… even those who seem evil and cruel and deal us grief on a continual basis. We must learn to love even those who are so hard to love… to pour our hearts out to God and give Him our concerns and our pain… and allow Him to have final judgment.
Lastly, we must not take consolation when others suffer. Reveling in the feeling that someone got what they deserved is not Christ-like thinking. We must not take joy in someone else’s misfortune, no matter how awful that person may have been to us and/or others. If we are to truly mature into strong, effective, faithful servants of Jesus Christ, we must become more like Him in every way. Look at how He forgave on the cross. Are we ready – and able – to do the same in our everyday lives? Shouldn’t we be?
Give God your troubles… tell Him how you really feel. Then trust Him to handle the outcome perfectly, according to His will. Pray for your enemies, and let God have the last word. He will see that perfect justice is done.
©2011 Debbie Robus
I praise you, God! Don't keep silent. Destructive and deceitful lies are told about me, and hateful things are said for no reason. I had pity and prayed [a] for my enemies, but their words to me were harsh and cruel. For being friendly and kind, they paid me back with meanness and hatred.
My enemies said, "Find some worthless fools to accuse him of a crime. Try him and find him guilty! Consider his prayers a lie. Cut his life short and let someone else have his job. Make orphans of his children and a widow of his wife; make his children beg for food and live in the slums. "Let the people he owes take everything he owns. Give it all to strangers. Don't let anyone be kind to him or have pity on the children he leaves behind. Bring an end to his family, and from now on let him be a forgotten man.
"Don't let the LORD forgive the sins of his parents and his ancestors. Don't let the LORD forget the sins of his family, or let anyone remember his family ever lived. He was so cruel to the poor, homeless, and discouraged that they died young. "He cursed others. Now place a curse on him! He never wished others well. Wish only trouble for him! He cursed others more often than he dressed himself.
Let his curses strike him deep, just as water and olive oil soak through to our bones. Let his curses surround him, just like the clothes he wears each day." Those are the cruel things my enemies wish for me. Let it all happen to them!
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
If you want to truly find out what your Christian faith is made of, pray for your enemy. Pray for your opponent, the other candidates, the bully, the overbearing boss, the abusive spouse, the church members who don’t seem to care, and the wayward child. Pray for those we fight against in faraway countries… and the next-door neighbor with home you have an ongoing spat.
In this passage, David is telling God all of the mean things that have been done to him… and yes, they are all pretty rotten. And I’m betting some mean, rotten things have been said and done to each of us over time. But in the end, David asks God to give it all back to his enemies… “Let it all happen to them!”
My question to you is this… “How does this make David any better than those who are mistreating him?” The answer is that it doesn’t. God will mete out consequences and punishment to those who disobey and mistreat others… in His own way. He doesn’t need us to tell Him what to do. At the same time, I don’t want us to be afraid to bare our souls to God and tell Him how we really feel. First of all, He knows already… and secondly, this may have been what David was doing – venting, without really expecting God to be so cruel to the enemies. God wants us to be honest with Him about how we feel… to give Him a chance to show us His power and love – and to possibly temper our feelings and show us a better way. Then we must trust Him to decide how to handle things.
At the end of the day, we are all God’s children… even those who seem evil and cruel and deal us grief on a continual basis. We must learn to love even those who are so hard to love… to pour our hearts out to God and give Him our concerns and our pain… and allow Him to have final judgment.
Lastly, we must not take consolation when others suffer. Reveling in the feeling that someone got what they deserved is not Christ-like thinking. We must not take joy in someone else’s misfortune, no matter how awful that person may have been to us and/or others. If we are to truly mature into strong, effective, faithful servants of Jesus Christ, we must become more like Him in every way. Look at how He forgave on the cross. Are we ready – and able – to do the same in our everyday lives? Shouldn’t we be?
Give God your troubles… tell Him how you really feel. Then trust Him to handle the outcome perfectly, according to His will. Pray for your enemies, and let God have the last word. He will see that perfect justice is done.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 6, 2011
Psalm 103:12-16
How far has the LORD taken our sins from us? Farther than the distance from east to west! Just as parents are kind to their children, the LORD is kind to all who worship him, because he knows we are made of dust. We humans are like grass or wild flowers that quickly bloom. But a scorching wind blows, and they quickly wither to be forever forgotten.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
One of my favorite songs is “East to West,” performed by Casting Crowns. Based on this passage from Psalm 103, the chorus says, “Jesus, can You show me just how far the east is from the west…'cause I can't bear to see the man I've been come rising up in me again. In the arms of Your mercy I find rest… 'cause You know just how far the east is from the west - from one scarred hand to the other”. I think of outstretched arms of Jesus… and an area more vast than the arms can encompass… and that still isn’t big enough to cover how far God has scattered my sin! Amazing, isn’t it?!
To think that our all-knowing, all-powerful, Almighty God loves us enough to scatter these sins like a burned up flower that has turned to dust not only amazes me… it humbles me, as well. We’ve all picked up a dandelion and blown the spores and watched them scatter. We’ve all put two dirty, dusty hands together and swiped them back and forth as the sandy particles disappeared. But to think that God does that with our sins and mercifully, graciously sets us upright to live another day is something I have a hard time understanding... but I’ll take it!
Where are your sins today? Are you holding onto them, carrying them like a heavy burden? Or have you handed them to God and let him blow them from east to west like the spores of a dandelion? Has He taken your transgressions and dusted them from His hands and set you back on the path to righteousness? Have you left your failures and shortcomings at the foot of the cross and let Jesus wash them away with His very blood? How long are you going to resist? How long are you going to wallow in sin and sorrow?
“East to west” is one of the most joyful phrases I know. It reminds me that God loves me more than I can ever begin to understand. And the good news is that our understanding of the depth of His love is not necessary. All we have to do is give God our burdens and sins, and ask Him to forgive us. He will handle the dusting and scattering… "from one scarred hand to the other."
©2011 Debbie Robus
“East to West” – Casting Crowns – The Altar and the Door - ©2007
How far has the LORD taken our sins from us? Farther than the distance from east to west! Just as parents are kind to their children, the LORD is kind to all who worship him, because he knows we are made of dust. We humans are like grass or wild flowers that quickly bloom. But a scorching wind blows, and they quickly wither to be forever forgotten.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
One of my favorite songs is “East to West,” performed by Casting Crowns. Based on this passage from Psalm 103, the chorus says, “Jesus, can You show me just how far the east is from the west…'cause I can't bear to see the man I've been come rising up in me again. In the arms of Your mercy I find rest… 'cause You know just how far the east is from the west - from one scarred hand to the other”. I think of outstretched arms of Jesus… and an area more vast than the arms can encompass… and that still isn’t big enough to cover how far God has scattered my sin! Amazing, isn’t it?!
To think that our all-knowing, all-powerful, Almighty God loves us enough to scatter these sins like a burned up flower that has turned to dust not only amazes me… it humbles me, as well. We’ve all picked up a dandelion and blown the spores and watched them scatter. We’ve all put two dirty, dusty hands together and swiped them back and forth as the sandy particles disappeared. But to think that God does that with our sins and mercifully, graciously sets us upright to live another day is something I have a hard time understanding... but I’ll take it!
Where are your sins today? Are you holding onto them, carrying them like a heavy burden? Or have you handed them to God and let him blow them from east to west like the spores of a dandelion? Has He taken your transgressions and dusted them from His hands and set you back on the path to righteousness? Have you left your failures and shortcomings at the foot of the cross and let Jesus wash them away with His very blood? How long are you going to resist? How long are you going to wallow in sin and sorrow?
“East to west” is one of the most joyful phrases I know. It reminds me that God loves me more than I can ever begin to understand. And the good news is that our understanding of the depth of His love is not necessary. All we have to do is give God our burdens and sins, and ask Him to forgive us. He will handle the dusting and scattering… "from one scarred hand to the other."
©2011 Debbie Robus
“East to West” – Casting Crowns – The Altar and the Door - ©2007
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