OVERBURDENED, OVERWORKED, AND OVERWHELMED

An Overloaded Wagon 

Today we continue on Chapter 4 - THE CURE
"Nothing is harder to bear than a burden we're not called to carry.  While God does ask us to bear one another's burdens, he has not asked us to step in and do what people are not willing to do themselves.  And while there are many needs, God has not asked us to meet every one."

That statement holds the release of truth that we need to lighten our wagon.

As we read throughout the section,  (we apologize to those who have not yet purchase their books), we see the Jews and Pharisees in an eagerness to please God  took on the law by works that were grievous and burdensome.  (Matthew 23: 2-4)

You see while they were very committed and implement laws that would supposedly help them keep the law, it did not bring them closer to Him.  They had no relationship cause it became a stumbling block.  While God has called us to obedience he never ask us to carry the weight of the law!

We too can allow rules and activities that we feel that God has assigned or given to us overwhelm us.  Like Martha the custom to prepare for the feast and the hospitality she had extended to Jesus and his followers became burdensome.  She was more interested in making everything comfortable so everyone else could worship that she forgot that she also needed to worship. 

OUCH! Did you just feel that.  How many times we get so involved in the preparation of a good meal at home for guests, an anniversary or other church program that we never enjoyed the service or heard the message?

"Even Welcome wagons can grow heavy, especially when they're laden with the extra weight of our human agendas and expectations."

FOCUS FOR TODAY: DUMPING ROCKS

Jesus came to help us dump the rocks off our overloaded wagon.  He never gave them to us in the first place.  He only gave us what he knew we were able to carry at the time.  He even took care of those who inflicted and piled up rocks (burdens) by His words.  (Luke 11:46)

To those who were helpless under the law, Jesus became their burden bearer.  Today He is making that same appeal to all of our women of God.  One of the things that we need to note is that he removed the gender barrier that separated women from their maker!

Mary understood that it's not cooking, cleaning and doing good works but knowing God, being in relationship with Him wanting to hear and listen to Him.  Whether it was out of the normal custom or not, she dumped that rock.  She wanted to leave the kitchen and experience the intimate fellowship of the living room. (to be discussed in another chapter)

We do not know exactly how Martha responded, but what would be your response to the following:

Lets TALK.....
Today I encourage you using Tricia's example, let God assist you to dump your wagon of unnecessary rocks  (activities, burdens, worries etc...) by doing the following:

• Make a list of all activities (church, children, work, etc..)
• Pray and prioritize over all the activities as importance number them from one to four
• Eliminated all the fours

After you have done the above exercise, ask yourself....
What effects or result the ones I dump have?
How can I help someone else to dump their rocks without making it a burden?
  Please share with others who need their wagons to be made lighter. 


Let go of your lengthy list of to-do dos and begin doing the one thing that's needed to do. 
Remember, "The sweet wooing of the Holy Spirit calms our fears and shatters our defenses."

God Bless
Precious Jewel