Tag Archives: follow

Can You Carry Me?

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117-1713_IMG     When my daughter was much younger we all went on a hiking vacation together to Acadia National Park in Maine.  Each day as we hiked, she had little desire to take the easy paths.  She loved to hike the more difficult paths and climb over the rocks, all the while looking for the next trail marker.  At some point in the day, however, her little legs would tire out.  She would turn to me and ask, “Can you carry me, Daddy?”

     There are times when we are walking in our journey of life, where we feel the same way.  We don’t know if our tired legs will hold up any longer, we grow weary, and we want someone to carry us.  It is at those times that we should rely upon the Lord to help carry us along.  The words of scripture tell us that “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1 NKJV).  “In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God” (Psalm 62:7).  Jeremiah called out to God and said, “O Lord, my strength and my fortress, My refuge in the day of affliction” (Jeremiah 16:19a).

     Jesus offers to help us get through life, if we will choose to follow Him.  He told His disciples, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).  He wants to help us to continue to endure, when we are weary of life and its struggles.  Therefore, why would we hesitate to come to Him?

     As a child of God, we can come to Him and ask Him to help us bear our load.  If we will only do our part, by obeying Him and coming to Him in prayer with our requests, He is faithful to hear us and to come to our aid.  Notice that Jesus said that we are to come to Him when we are heavy laden.  Have you come to Jesus?  If not, why not?  He is waiting for you now!

Choose Ye This Day

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In Joshua’s farewell address to the nation of Israel he urges them to make a choice.  In Joshua 24:15 he says, “. . . choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (NKJV).  We can boil down Joshua’s challenge into two possible choices.  Either choose to follow God, or choose to not follow God.

We today have the same choice before us, in a manner of speaking.  While it is unlikely that we would choose to follow the gods that the ancient Egyptians or Amorites worshipped, there is no shortage of false gods within our society today.  Many choose to follow after riches, whether in the form of money or the possessions that money can buy.  Many choose to follow after fame, whether in sports, movies or popular music industries.  Many choose to follow their own way, and in that sense become their own god in determining what they think is right or proper.  However, it is not up to us to determine what is right or wrong, for who are we to make that determination.  The ultimate determination of right or wrong has to come from a higher standard, which we find in God’s holy word.

Joshua is not challenging Israel to follow him because of any righteousness that he himself possesses.  He is, however, challenging them to follow his example in serving the Lord and following what He has said to do.  We then need to set our selfish desires aside and leave the desire to serve riches, fame, and ourselves in order to set our minds on that which is above and serve God.  We cannot have one foot in both worlds, because in serving God we are to give Him our all (Joshua 22:5).  We cannot give God our heart, mind, and soul while trying to still keep one foot firmly planted in worldliness.  The choice still stands before us this day.  Are we choosing God, or are we choosing something else?