Sticky Burdens

Read Psalm 32:1-7

Reflection of Tommy:

“You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.” - Psalm 32:7

“Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you.” —Psalm 55:22

Most Christians know very well that we need to somehow rest all our burdens and worries to God, but not many truly understand the meaning of doing that. I found a good illustration from a book I recently read. The author described most Christians are like a man who was toiling along the road, bending under a heavy burden. As a car overtook him, the driver kindly offered to help him on his journey. He joyfully accepted the offer, but when seated in the car, he continued to bend beneath his burden, which he still kept on his shoulders!

Like the man, we too often think that it is almost too much to ask God to ‘carry’ us, and could not think of letting Him further carry our burdens too. So we who have given ourselves into the care and keeping of Jesus, often continue bending beneath the weight of our burdens, and often go weary and heavy-laden throughout the whole length of our journey. There are also those who at first fully surrender their burden, only to take them back as soon as they finish praying.

As we read through His Word, we can see how many times God has promised to take care of us when we cast all our burdens to Him. There is no great crisis or 'sticky' burden that He can’t handle for us; thus, we can fully trust Him to sustain and see us through every situation. Instead of worrying and panicking, we should pray and submit all our concerns to Him, and His peace that transcends all human understanding will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7).

God knows our burdens and our crosses,
Those things that hurt, our trials and losses,
He cares for every soul that cries,
And wipes the tears from weeping eyes. —Brandt

Dear Father, thank You that I can present my anxious thoughts to You any time and You faithfully supply me with Your peace and strength in return. Teach me to trust You more in ALL things that through them I can emerge stronger and become a better witness for Christ. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

A Little Concern

Read Psalm 91:9-16

Reflection of Tommy:

Many of us worry about others more than ourselves- our loved ones, family members, our children. That’s why in our prayers we often pour out to God to protect and bless them. Each time we hear any bad news about them, we are struck down with fear and worry. We think of the worst and panic fully occupied our mind.

In today’s comforting passage, we find the ‘cure’ to all our fear and worry in this life. No matter how intense our fears may be, we can trade them for faith in God, trusting Him as our shelter and refuge. We do this when we “dwell” and “rest” with Him (v9), entrusting ourselves and our loved ones to His protection and pledging our daily devotion to Him.

Dear Father, thank You for Your protection and Your love for me and my loved ones. Thank You that I can always trust in You and Your faithfulness; and that You are in control of all things. Thank You for being with me, hearing my prayers and deliver me from all my worry and fear. Teach me to fully rest and dwell with You, my Refuge and my Fortress (v2). In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Worry immobilizes...

Read Matthew 6:25-34

Reflection of Tommy:

Recently, a church member in her late 20 shared about her struggle of undergoing dialysis treatment due to her kidney failure few years ago. Despite the hardship and pain of going through those treatments few times a week and losing her job, I was amazed by her cheerfulness and positive outlook in life. Her prayer to God was also so simple and sincere, like a child trusting everything on the father.

Life on earth can be very unfair sometimes, but as Christian we do not have to constantly wallow up in bitterness, self-pity, worries and even hatred. We know that God loves us so intimately that He cares and knows everything they we are going through (Matthew 10:30). If we were to seek His kingdom and righteousness first (v33), He will surely provides not only all our needs but also what most important and best for us.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me the assurance and confidence to trust in You for all my needs. Forgive me at times for exhibiting all those ill effects of worry, being fully consumed by my problems and even allowing it to negatively affecting the way I treat others.

Lord, teach me not to worry but to seek first a close relationship with You and Your righteousness. Lead me to always look unto You for guidance in my planning for everything and leaving the rest into Your hand. Thank You and I pray all this in Your Name, Amen.

El Roi: You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees

Genesis 16:7-13

7 The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. 8 And he said, "Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?"
"I'm running away from my mistress Sarai," she answered.

9 Then the angel of the LORD told her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her." 10 The angel added, "I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count."

11 The angel of the LORD also said to her:
"You are now with child
and you will have a son.
You shall name him Ishmael, [a]
for the LORD has heard of your misery.

12 He will be a wild donkey of a man;
his hand will be against everyone
and everyone's hand against him,
and he will live in hostility
toward [b] all his brothers."

13 She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: "You are the God who sees me," for she said, "I have now seen [c] the One who sees me."

Reflection of Bee:

There may be many injustice done to us, be it at home, in school, in church or at work. Sometimes the things that others say about us may not be truth and they hurt badly. Yet the bible says in Romans 12:19-21 (Deut. 32:35; Prov. 25:21,22):

19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,"[a]says the Lord. 20On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."[b] 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Sometimes I do feel tired of the hypocrisy in life.... the world is like a stage and people are just acting. Who are real and true? who are sincere? I find it hard to detect the truth anymore. There are so much betrayal, even by people whom we trusted. When I heard about others' death, at times I asked, "why not me?"

It's comforting to know that God will avenge us as He sees everything. Our lives are in God's hand. When it's time that He takes us home, we'll be there.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for all the things that have happened to me. Thank You that You are the God who sees and justice is in Your hand. Thank You that You will always be with me in all situations.
In Your precious name I give You thanks. Amen.


Reflection of Tommy:
Even after reading countless times verses where God ask us not to worry (Matthew 6:31-34), many Christians still find themselves struggling with all kind of anxieties. Instead of trusting God, our tendency is to look for earthly securities; to depend and lean heavily on things that are tangible, real and look substantial for relief.

We hope for a change of circumstance or some help from man. We mount on these to runaway from our trouble. In ignorance, we think by mere change in our environment, our weary souls will experience some sort of deliverance. Often these earthly refuge carry us out of one trouble only to land us into another (Amos 5:19).

True deliverance comes to us only when our soul waits upon the Lord (Isaiah 40:31), entirely surrendered to Him, trusting Him perfectly and seeing Him in every details of our lives. When we are able to apply actively these attitudes, our soul will be carried up into a spiritual plane of life, into the “life hid with Christ in God”, which will utterly independent of all circumstances.

Dear Father, thank You that You are always near and you know all that I’m going through. Thank You for Your continual guidance to help me see when I’m lost. Teach me always be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving making all my requests be known to You (Philippians 4:6). In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.