In His typical,
wonderful fashion, God began preparing me to write this devotion even before I
was asked. Recently he brought someone
else’s’ devotion into my hands based on Matthew 11:25-30. The key verse for me was “Come to me, all you
whom are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” You may joke, “Well, y’all are building a
house, no wonder you feel weary and burdened at times.” That’s true!
But this verse spoke to me on a deeper level. I realized quickly that I often to go Jesus,
and definitely when weary, yet I do not always release my burdens, especially
old ones.
The Lord’s had me
meditating on this for a while and I’ve wondered how Lent fits in. Quite well!
Lent is a season of confessing, cleansing and preparing for living into
Christ’s resurrection. Adding a
spiritual discipline, like fasting, can be useful. What if this year for Lent, I commit to a
“fasting practice”, i.e. the giving over/letting go of my burdens to
Jesus? Only through the Holy Spirit’s
power can I first give thanks for any burden (1 Thess. 5:18) and second, give
it to Jesus.
Sounds simple enough,
doesn’t it? Yet when I envision 40 days
of acting on this commitment, my heart skips a beat. Why? Because some burdens are familiar. Yes, when their weight makes me weary,
worried, sometimes depleted in body, mind and spirit, but it’s a known load to
me. And, “familiar” is a safety
net. After all, what would replace my
safety net? Exactly: THE UNKNOWN! Yet, there are no unknowns, for nothing is
hidden from my Father, past present and future.
In unconditional love, He declares to me, “For I know the plans I have
for you, plans for welfare (peace) and not for evil, to give you a future and a
hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
I accepted His Calvary
love 56 years ago, so I would hope by now that I could constantly and easily
give over old burdens and rest in Jesus’ knowing and His plans for me. But I don’t, though through recent
reflection, I acknowledge I want to want to!
So, here comes Lent, no
better time to daily ask for faith to believe Jesus is my only safety net and
to practice “fasting my burdens.” I look
forward to the rest that Jesus will provide.
