He Came to Help Us Carry our Burdens

The publication The Word Among Us has always been a favorite for me and today’s was excellent.  Read it below.  #Jesus  #JesusChrist

Meditation: Isaiah 50:4-9 

Wednesday of Holy Week – April 17, 2019 

I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard. (Isaiah 50:6) 

Amazing, isn’t it? This one single verse sounds so much like Jesus’ passion—and not just the event of his scourging at the pillar. The humility and generosity of the servant in this verse beautifully captures Jesus’ heart as he endured his entire arrest, trial, and crucifixion. 

Imagine what Jesus must have felt when he heard these words proclaimed in the synagogue. He must have realized at some point that they referred not only to the ancient prophet but to himself. Maybe it struck him with terror. Or perhaps, because he was the Son of God, it didn’t bother him at all. 

The truth probably lies somewhere between these two extremes. Being human, Jesus naturally experienced great distress about what was awaiting him. But then in his divinity, he could pray with complete confidence: “The Lord God is my help, therefore I am not disgraced” (Isaiah 50:7). So while he certainly felt great apprehension over what lay ahead of him, he also found strength knowing that his Father would never abandon him. 

There’s a parallel here to our lives. We can’t see into the future, but we do know that we all have our own share of hardships to deal with. It could be major, like the death of a loved one, or minor, like being stuck in a traffic jam for three hours. The magnitude of the challenge is not as important as how we deal with it. We can either fret about it or try our best to place it in the Father’s hands as Jesus did. 

Know that in surrendering your hardships to God, you can expect to do more than just endure them. You will find new confidence knowing that 

Easter Sunday will come for you just as it did for Jesus. You will find strength in the knowledge that “all things work for good for those who love God” (Romans 8:28). Jesus didn’t come to add to your burdens. He came to carry them with you. Remember: he walked the road to Calvary precisely so that he could walk with you today! 

“Lord, I trust that you will keep me in perfect peace as I meditate on all that you have done for me.” 

Psalm 69:8-10, 21-22, 31, 33-34  

Matthew 26:14-25 

WANT MORE? SUBSCRIBE AND RECEIVE FULL ONLINE ACCESS. 

Access our entire archive of articles and daily meditations with a Print or Web Edition subscription. View subscription options. 

Special Offer: Free Two Week Web Trial Subscription. Sign up now. 

Print Subscribers: Full Web Access is Free! Login for full access. 

© 2019 The Word Among Us. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy