Mid-Week Message - Life's Burdens

"Then Jesus said, 'Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you.  Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.'"  Matthew 11:28-29  (NLT)

When something heavy needed to be moved in our home when I was younger, I was the child that was called upon to help.  I had an older brother but he never quite seemed to be around when these things needed to be done.  I became quite good at moving television consoles, couches, dressers and anything else that was more than a one person job.  I learned how to move most things on my own even, if I needed to do so.  Where there is a will, there is a way.  

Heavy physical burdens are quite familiar to me.  As I dealt with obesity for most of my life, I know what it feels like to be weighed down and to be so overwhelmed with weight that I found it difficult to move at times.  One of my favorite things to do is to float in a pool.  The feeling of being weightless is sheer joy!  

The physical weights we carry are easy compared to the other burdens that life places upon us.  All of us encounter times of trouble that drive us to our knees.  In the last few years two of my closest friends have had to endure the death of a child.  I can't even begin to imagine how difficult that has been for them.  As a mother myself, I can think of nothing worse.  Carrying that grief was crushing for them.  They made it through by crying out to the Lord and understanding that they did not have to bear the sadness alone.  He was with them in the valley they had to traverse.  

Today's verse refers to a yoke, which is a crosspiece that is laid across the shoulders of two animals to lighten a load for each of them.  We are not meant to bear the burdens of life alone.  Galatians 6:2 tells us to, "Share each other's burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ."  We are to come together to help each other.  When we do not have the strength to continue on our own, we need to be able to reach out to those around us. 

Psalm 55:22 tells us, "Give your burdens to the Lord, and He will take care of you.  He will not permit the Godly to slip and fall."  We have been created by a loving and caring Creator.  He never desired for us to feel alone.  He wants to be actively involved in our lives.  He cares about everything we encounter.  When we are weighed down, He will be there to lighten the load, to walk with us and to support us.  He can bring healing to the deep wounds that the pain of this life brings.  And He reminds us that a time is coming when we will be free of that pain for eternity.

What are you carrying today that is weighing you down?  Illness?  Financial problems?  Wayward children?  Whatever it is, ask Him to help you through it.  He is faithful and true and will make a way where there seems to be no way.  He adores you and is delighted when you turn to Him. God bless.  

Mid-Week Message - He Cares About Our Tears

"He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.  All these things are gone forever."  Revelation 21:4  (NLT)

Tears are a gift.  They allow us a way to release our emotions and share our overflow of feelings with others.  Most of us cry when we are sad, some of us cry out of anger or even exhaustion.  We even have times when we cry out of sheer joy.  Scientists say that "happy" tears are chemically different than the ones that fall out of sadness.  What an amazing Creator we serve!  

John 20:15-16 recounts a very tender moment.  Mary has gone to Jesus' tomb but when she does not find him there, she weeps because she thinks someone has taken his body away.  While she is crying, she hears a voice that says, "Dear woman, why are you crying?  Who are you looking for?"  She believes Him to be the gardener and asks Him where He has taken the body.  Then Jesus speaks her name and she recognizes Him.  I am not sure, but I would imagine that her tears became those of joy rather than of sorrow at that moment.

When infants are born, we long to hear their first wails.  It is reassurance of the life that is inside of them and that their lungs are working well.  Then we find ourselves kneeling by their cradles and praying that their sorrows and hardships in life will be few.  I remember well taking my tiny daughter to her well-checks and sobbing along with her as she received her vaccines.  The fact that my child was in pain, even for just a moment, broke my heart.  If we love our children that deeply, how must Almighty God, who is the very epitome and definition of love, feel when He witnesses His children weeping?  

My personal belief is that when Jesus spoke to Mary in the garden, His voice was compassionate and comforting.  It was a moment that showed His reaction to tears.  And I believe with all my heart that He reacts to each of us the same way when He sees us in pain or sorrow.  Just as he said to Mary, He says to us, "Why are you crying?"  He wishes us to know that He is beside us and is ready to take us into His holy arms to comfort us.  

Why do I believe that tears matter so much to Him?  Because the verse for today is very specific in mentioning what will be gone forever in Heaven.  It lists tears, death, sorrow, crying and pain.  If they were not important to Him, why would He call them out and reassure us that they would come to an end?  

Another verse that shows the importance of our tears is Psalm 56:8 which says, "You keep track of all my sorrows.  You have collected all my tears in your bottle.  You have recorded each one in your book."  The Bible, our love letter from God Himself, makes sure we understand that He sees, hears and cares when we cry.  The Author of all that is, is touched when we weep.  How precious is that?  

We all go through moments that bring us to our knees, that make us feel as though there is no end to the amount of tears that will flow from our eyes.  In those moments though, our Savior is there beside us.  In the times when we feel most alone, we are far from it.  He cares and His compassion has no end.  We can each go forth in confidence that no tear is unseen and they are of the utmost importance to the One who created them in the first place.   

Why are you crying?  Listen for Him to call your name.  God bless. 

Mid-Week Message - Moving Forward Into 2021

"Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people; praise his holy name.  For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning."  Psalm 30:4-5  (NIV) 

So much can be said for this past year.  It has been a time of great challenge for this world.  Faced with a virus that we had not seen before, panic set in and many changes ensued that caught us all by surprise.  Whether appropriate actions were taken will be discussed for a long time to come, but lives were impacted in ways that brought hardship and pain. 

 To those who lost loved ones, my heart goes out to you.  Most of us have either family or friends who were touched by this illness.  So much sorrow has been felt across the nations as the death count has grown.  Though we have now learned ways to treat and prevent it, this ugly disease has left a deep mark in our hearts.  

Along with the sorrow came the anger that business owners and employees encountered as doors were locked and incomes ended.  An article from Fortune in September says that approximately 100,000 businesses in the United States that shut down because of COVID will never again re-open and there have been more since then.  This has devastated dreams and lives.  

In addition, divorces increased as people were forced into staying at home for long stretches.  Depression and suicide rates climbed as fear of the future carried with it a loss of hope for those who were struggling mentally and emotionally. 

As we prepare to usher in 2021, I want to assure you that the Lord has been with us through all that has taken place.  He has heard every prayer and seen every tear.  I cannot explain the whys of what has happened, but I can promise that He has a perfect plan.  This has been a time when His children have drawn near to Him and have learned that, indeed, His grace is sufficient and His mercies are new every morning.  I have often heard the saying that, "Faith isn't faith until it is all you are holding onto."  

I will share with you what I have learned as I have encountered times of grief, tragedy and uncertainty.  First, pour out your heart to the Father.  Lay your head in His holy lap and cry your tears over your pain and loss.  Express your fears and your need for Him.  The Psalms show us that David was not hesitant to be honest about His feelings with God and we shouldn't be either.  Second, praise Him for who He is and thank Him for all He does.  Third, take hold of His hand and never let go! Spend much time in His Word and in prayer.  It is His strength that will allow us to tackle whatever is before us and His compassion that will mend our hearts and allow us to reach out to others that are hurting.  

May we all find peace and truly feel His joy in this coming year.  God bless.

 

The Joy of the Lord is Your Strength

With everything that is going on in the world, I can easily understand why people say they are sad, depressed or just plain tired. Disharmony, fighting, bickering and hatred for one another has caused more and more people to seek counseling. It saddens me to hear people say, "If I can only get through this, I will be happy." Soon they find themselves depressed yet again.

As Christians, we have the strength and joy to live in harmony, peace, understanding and, most importantly, love. We should celebrate rather than fight. We should be cheerful rather than dejected. We should be joyful rather than sullen. Once we start being that example to others, the world will begin to change.

Next time you laugh, look around you. You will see people's faces change. People become friendlier and open. Smiles instead of frowns. Happiness is truly contagious. We all want to be happy and we all want to share that happiness.

In my life, I share my blessings with those around me. I find it easier to share joy rather than to be a miser and hold on to it. The Lord's mercy and grace surrounds each and every day and we need to proclaim it to all around us that we have that strength through His Joy.

And Nehemiah continued, "Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don't be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!" Nehemiah 8:10 (NLT)