"Child of My Love! Lean hard! Let Me feel the
pressure of your care. I know your burden, child!
I shaped it- I poised it in My own hand and made
no proportion of its weight to your unaided strength.
For even as I laid it on, I said I shall be near, and
while she leans on Me, this burden shall be Mine,
not hers. So shall I keep My child within the circling
arms of My own love. Here lay it down! Do not
fear to impose it on a shoulder which upholds the
government of worlds! Yet closer come! You are
not near enough! I would embrace your burden,
so I might feel My child reposing on My breast.
You love Me! I know it. Doubt not, then. But,
loving me, lean hard!"
Octavius Winselow
I was struck by this meditation on God's Sovereign care for us read the rest of it here: ( http://www.gracegems.org/3/lean_hard.htm )
God knows us and desires our heart, and contrary to the popular notion that one who loves us would make our lives easy, God makes our lives harder that he may draw us to himself.
The goal of the life of a servant of God is not to be "successful" in life or ministry, it is to know God. That is, at least in part, why Christ died. That we may know him (1 John 5:20), because true life is knowing God (John 17:3). And we will never know our creator and sustainer if we are not conscious of our need for his care.
Several times in the past week I have had different people tell me not to give up. And as we have had a couple of weeks of illness, and the boys are not sleeping well for various reasons, we are all exhausted. It is easy to think about how huge the task ahead feels.
This week also I had a conversation that showed me just how little trust I have gained, and how scattered this little flock is theologically, feeding mostly on TV preaching of a wide and dubious array. We lack unity because we are not just listening to every wind and wave of doctrine, but we are following and listening to these voices because we have not gotten to know the one voice, the voice of the shepherd who burdens us and pains us so much that we must rely on his care, that we may learn his voice.
And in that I was reminded that I am the one who must lean hard, and lead my family to lean hard, and lead this little flock to lean hard, on the one who shaped our burdens, so that we could not carry them alone.
Thanks for reading,
Lean hard
