Lighten The Load
HELLO FRIENDS,
Over the last couple weeks we’ve been helping some of our family prepare to move to a new house.
Part of our role has been the objective voice who says “Throw that away, you don’t need it.” or “That hasn’t been touched since your last move, donate it.”
Why are those voices important in a move? Because the lighter the load, the more seamless the move will be.
God is always beaconing us forward into a deeper walk with Him. That forward movement does not always appear as “more success” or “bigger influence” – sometimes it’s deep and unnoticeable to everyone but you and God. Sometimes that “move of God” looks like inner stillness for the first time in a long time.
However, He is calling us forward into a closer walk with Him.
David had a defining moment where he desperately needed God to come alongside him to clean out his heart. He could not move forward with the sin and burden he carried – so he penned a prayer disguised as a song. It is found in Psalms 51.
David knew that the only part he could play in this move of God was to offer an admission that his way of life was broken and needed a fix he was unable to do by himself. So he offered himself fully to God and was willing to create a new way of life, starting from the inside and working its way out.
David knew “my sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit…(17)”. In other words, “my way does not work.” That is it, that is all he had to offer. Surrender. Then he asked God to do a deep work – the starting point of that work was David’s honesty and submission to God.
“Have mercy on me…” (1)
“Wash away all my iniquity…” (2, 7)
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me…” (10)
“Don’t cast me from your presence…” (11)
“Restore me to the joy of my salvation…” (12)
These are prayers of a man who knew he was incapable of doing any of the above things through his own efforts.
And if you find yourself feeling stagnant in your relationship with God, let David’s prayers become yours.
If you’re thriving in your relationship with God and would say “I still want more…”, let David’s prayers become yours as well. There is always a deeper work to be done in our hearts and a closer walk to be discovered with Jesus.
God desires that we stay in step with Him. Let’s allow Him to lighten the load within our own souls so we can walk close with Him daily.
Pastor Cris Buck