Throw it with Force!

The A clause of Psalm 55:22 reads, “Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you…” We find this gentle reminder nestled near the end of the chapter as David fervently cries out to God after finding himself betrayed by one with whom he “once enjoyed sweet fellowship at the house of God, as we walked about among the worshipers.” (vs.14). Based on that passage alone this post can easily go in the direction of dealing with church hurt (as many of us have developed deep personal relationships with individuals in the church only to be burned by those connections). But for the purposes of this entry, I want to focus on our burdens (or lot in this context) – those things that trouble our minds, grieve our spirits, leave us frustrated and cause us pain. Though David’s lot at the time was betrayal, we can relate to his heartbroken state because we’ve been there in one form or another, whether our burden be the death of a loved one, losing a job, illness, making ends meet, providing for our children or the multitude of other issues that can arise just by simply living.

At the beginning of this verse we find the instruction to “Cast your burden upon the Lord...” Cast, (Shalak in Hebrew), means to throw or to hurl. In the Webster’s one definition is “to throw with force.” David is saying that we should not merely hand over our burdens. We should throw them to God with force, or in my opinion, intention. The problem is some of us don’t want to do that. In our minds, we can handle it ourselves.  We believe that if we make the right phone calls, speak to the right people, fill out the right paperwork, and maneuver in the right ways that we can fix our own issues. When those means don’t work, we will go to a family member, a close friend, our Pastor – everyone BUT God.  David’s response to his anguish was to seek God in prayer, but for some of us, prayer is the last resort. This not what God wants! He wants us to go to Him. 1 Peter 5:7 reminds us that we can cast our cares on Him, because He cares for us.  God loves us and is equipped to handle every situation.  It is not His desire that we suffer.

After the instruction, we find a promise “…and He will sustain you…”  In other words, God will “hold our hand and help us” (Isaiah 4:19) He will “bear our burdens daily” (Psalm 68:19). He will “keep us from stumbling” (Jude 1:24). He will “supply all our needs” (Philippians 4:19). He will give us rest (Matt 11:28). He will ease our anxiety and guard our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:6-9). When we throw our burdens upon the Lord our expectation should be that we will receive that promise. The key to doing this is having faith that He will keep His word, as He has done so many times before. When a fisherman throws a net, the expectation is that it will catch fish. When a pitcher throws a curve ball, the expectation is that it will result in the other team striking out.  When a basketball player throws a three-pointer the expectation is that it will go through the basket. The fisherman, the baseball player and the basketball player each have faith that they will catch fish, strike out the opposing team and make the shot. Why? It has happened before and enough times to build their confidence that it will happen again. Their faith in the outcome has been established! If we take the time to look back throughout our lives, it isn’t difficult to pinpoint each instance where God moved on our behalf. Even when we didn’t know Him, He kept us. Even when we didn’t pray, He answered. In the midst of a crisis it can be easy to forget, but we are given a reminder in Numbers 23:19 - “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?”

I encourage you to cast your burden unto the Lord. Don’t hold on to it. Let it go. Follow David’s example and go to God in prayer. He has big enough shoulders to handle any weight. After you’ve given it to Him, embrace the peace of knowing that He will sustain you.  In closing, I leave you with the words from the classic hymn, Cast Thou Thy Care upon the Lord written by H. M. Moule:

Cast thou thy care upon the Lord, 

The care that loads thy heart; 

Take Him this moment at His word, 

And let Him do His part.

The need is deep, the care is great,

The burden hard to bear;

Roll it on Him with all its weight,

And leave it resting there.

   

This heavy thing, it is His gift,

His portion, thee to bless;

Give it Him back; what He shall lift

No more on thee shall press.

Cast all thy care, and not a part,

The great things and the small;

The Lord's all-loving, mighty heart

Has room and thought for all.

   

Yes, He will ponder every care,

Consider each detail;

Thyself, thy burden, let Him bear; 

He will not, cannot, fail.

Until next time, be blessed!

Sue