His Shoulders

You know what I love?  Being relieved of a burden.  When things are taken care of for me and it’s off my shoulders and completely on another’s, I am set free!  It might be as simple as a friend stepping in to complete a difficult task for me.  Or it might be as monumental as the Lord reversing a medical diagnosis.  In either case, the matter is simply removed from my shoulders.  That’s what I love!

It’s not that I don’t like responsibility, for there’s great reward in doing a job well done, in seeing the fruit of your labor.  But there are a myriad of other things for which I am not responsible.  So I need to let go of those things.  I know it’s easier said than done, but scripture admonishes us to cast our cares on the Lord.  He wants to carry our burdens.  There’s a phrase from Isaiah 6 in the Hallelujah Chorus which declares the authority of the coming Messiah.  One of my favorite lines is when the choir sings:

“And the government shall be upon his shou-ou-ou-ou-oul-ders.”

I used to think that was all about the government of nations.  It didn’t seem like government had anything to do with me personally.  But then the Lord began to open my understanding to His Kingdom principles.  His Kingdom isn’t just about Heaven.  It’s about the here and now.  It’s about His rule taking over my life.  God doesn’t just rule the universe; He rules the personal circumstances of my life as well, and yours, too.  When things are more than I can bear and I give the burden over to God, He has a way of un-messing my messes.  He loves to fix things for me.    It’s like my friend, Kim, who excels in organizational skills.  The other day I was under a lot of pressure to get things done, so she stepped in to help me with a project.  She took the burden and we got it done in half the time it would have taken me on my own.  She lightened my load. That’s what I love!

When our son was recently diagnosed with a seizure disorder, I couldn’t do anything but pray.  It was beyond my ability to fix his pain like I could when he was a little boy.  I had to give my burden over to the Lord for Him to work in ways I never could.  He had to rule in this situation, whether He brought divine healing or grace to endure.  It wasn’t up to me so I had to put the burden on the Lord.  I admit I hated what he was going through.  Rather than fall apart, I had to give the burden to the One who held his life in His hands.  Believe me, I had to keep giving my concerns to the Lord over and over again.  God ruled over every test and diagnosis.  It was on His shoulders.  I found peace in that.  Then after several weeks, the diagnosis was reversed as quickly as it was pronounced.  I was amazed at good reports that only my God could have instigated.  The Lord also ruled over this circumstance of life.  That’s what I love!

Why is it we have such a hard time letting our Messiah carry our burdens?  He came to set us free.  When we allow Jesus Christ to shoulder our responsibilities, He works things out for good. Since the foundation of His rule is righteousness and justice, He alone will right the wrongs. He alone will avenge the injustice. Can any of us claim that power?  What could we possibly do on our own to foster such good results!  Submission to the Father’s will includes trusting that He will see us through.  It means we can let go because He takes over.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest

His offer will bring me exactly what I love, relieving me of burdens that weigh me down.  I will not carry the weight of the world on my shoulders anymore.  He picks up my load.  Do you have a lot on your shoulders?  Are your responsibilities getting to you?  His offer is still as good today as it was 2,000 years ago.  So whether you’re burdened down with last minute Christmas shopping or facing an incredible hardship, remember this truth.  The government of your circumstances is on His shoulders and He will do a much better job of sorting things out than you ever could.  He is in authority over you.  Stop a minute and look up.  Tell the Lord you want Him to govern your situations.  When you transfer your control over to His, you’ll be saying with me…that’s what I love!