CAST YOUR BURDEN ON CHRIST

Cast Your Burden on Christ

by Jan Cox

This morning two passages of Scripture struck deep into my heart. I had read from Philippians 1 and 1 Peter 4.

In Philippians, Paul is in jail, in chains, yet he is praying not for himself but for Christ’s church and His people.

And the word I have seen the most often in Scripture this week is LOVE.

“So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover’s life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9-11 The Message).

So – how do I love? That is my prayer to Christ. Show me how, where and when to love His people.

“There is nothing Christ dislikes more than for His people to make show of Him and not use Him. He loves to be worked. He is a great laborer. He always was for His Father and now He loves to be a great laborer for His brethren. The more burdens you put on His shoulders, the better He will love you. Cast your burden on Him” (Charles Spurgeon, Christ in the Covenant).

If Christ loves to be worked and we can cast our burdens on Him, then I need to pray that way. My burden this week is to love – so I will pray for Christ to show me the way to do that.

I read from 1 Peter – he talks about learning to think like Christ.

Here are some of Paul’s examples:

  • My own way – get rid of that type of thinking so I can be free to follow God and not what I want.
  • Stay wide-awake in prayer – watch and listen so I can see exactly whom to pray for and how to love (this can be emails, phone calls, people I meet, TV and the news).

So this is what I think I heard this morning:

  • Christ is my life
  • Pray to be shown whom to love
  • Get rid of my agenda
  • Watch and listen to everything God puts in my path.

What do you think? Can you listen to what God puts on your heart? Can you then burden Christ with that message to make it something you can work on together?

Prayer:

Father, I relinquish my agenda. I want to learn to love and I want to live in Christ. Keep me mindful of what is going on around me so I can be a good Intercessor and be Your hands and feet here on earth. In Jesus’ name. AMEN.

My Gratitude List for this week. I have to skip some of these gifts as I am much further ahead that the ones I have written. So I will pick a few and then get closer to the date we are today. This makes 486.

  • Carissa (granddaughter) sat between Wayne and I during our Thanksgiving church service
  • A great group of women being in communion with God; a feast of love
  • A verse to memorize: Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even great things than these because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12).
  • Hard Eucharisteo – Wayne’s Dad was sick for his own 90th birthday party.
  • Endurance when tired
  • Waking at 4am to travel (body confused for awhile)
  • Sun, Sprouts, barbecued chicken
  • Energy to clean dirt from patio, front porch, side of home
  • Meeting old friends
  • A Naturopath appointment; air-conditioning; air purifier; skin cream; DHIST
  • Mom in a new room at the Retirement Home – hurrah!
  • How bright and intelligent Mom is at 94; meds are working well
  • I can get down on my knees

Jan Cox

Jan, a former school teacher and small business owner, found a new passion in writing in her retirement. She has published two devotionals and a number of articles for magazines and a Bible study. She is owner of Under the Cover of Prayer and moderates the site. She also writes at A Better Way. Jan has written a children’s book in which she is also the watercolour illustrator. She hopes to publish it some day.

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