Deepen Your Worship: A 5-Day Devotional on Pursuing God’s PresenceSample

Day 5: FOOT OF THE CROSS

"I lay it all down at the foot of the cross."

Matthew 11:28-30

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

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Devotional

To be human, it seems, is to carry burdens. Worries, expectations, regrets, demands coming from all sides. They affect our sleep, they affect our mood, and they cause us to be distracted. I wonder if we've forgotten what it's like to live free of all that.

The good news is God understands. He invites us to commit our cares to Him- it's not just a one time thing we cross off the list. It’s a journey. Christ is with us all the way through helping and guiding us at every step.

Jesus calls us to live free. It's not just about finding better ways to relax and stay calm. He's inviting us to open our hands and let go of our need to control the things we can't control. To cast our cares on Him. He invites us to allow His peace that passes all understanding to settle deep within us. A peace that brings true life, life to the full to every part of our being.

This freedom is found at the foot of the cross. As we surrender there again, we acknowledge that we are not designed to carry the burdens we've been carrying on our own. It's there we find the wisdom that comes from recognising our limitations and Christ's limitless strength.

Tim Keller writes "The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope."

I wonder what burdens you're carrying right now? Perhaps you're worried about finances or your job situation. Or maybe you're worried over a certain conversation, or a relationship in your life. Guilt can also be a burden almost impossible to bear. Whatever it is you're aware of right now, Jesus says "Come to me… and I will give you rest."

Corrie ten Boom wrote "When I try to carry the weight of the world, I have room for nothing else. But when I give my burdens to God, my hands are free to reach for His."

This is the paradox of surrender —that in letting go of control, we find freedom.

When we confess our weakness, He gives strength, as we bow low, He lifts us up.

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Reflection Questions

1. As you're reading this devotional, what burdens have you become aware of that you're carrying right now?

2. What would your life look like if you truly were able to live free of the weights and the burdens you've been carrying?

3. What areas of your life do you find it the most challenging to "cast your anxieties" on Christ? Why might that be?

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Prayer

Lord, I commit my whole life to You again. Every burden, every care, every desire, every grief, every offence, every hurt and every sin. Thank You that You are able to carry my cares and my burdens. That nothing is too hard for You. Thank You that You understand. Thank You that You give strength and peace and life once again in this moment right now.

I receive your presence in my life.

Thank You Jesus

Amen

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Today's Truth

"Freedom comes not from having no burdens, but from surrendering them to the One whose shoulders were made to carry them." — Ann Voskamp