A farmer was driving his bakkie down a main road when he saw a hitchhiker carrying a heavy backpack. He pulled over and offered him a ride, which the hitchhiker gladly accepted.
A little further down the road, the farmer looked in his rear view mirror and noticed that the hitchhiker was hunched over in the back of the bakkie and still carrying his heavy backpack over his shoulder. The farmer stopped and shouted, Hey, why dont you take the backpack off and put it down? Thats okay, responded the hitchhiker. I dont want to bother you. Just take me to my destination and I will be happy.
How ridiculous! But this is the attitude of many Christians. They happily board Gods salvation wagon that will take them to heaven, but they shoulder the effort along the way.
This is the opposite of the truth we find in the scriptures and the truth will make your burden light!
In Proverbs 16:3 King Solomon once again shares a sparkling gem with us: Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.
There is more to this verse than striving to be a committed Christian. Commit here literally means to roll on to. It has to do with rolling something away from you onto another. A story from Genesis 28 illustrates this. During Jacobs travels he journeyed into the grasslands of Padan Aram where he met Rachel at a well. She and others wanted to water their sheep but a heavy stone covered the mouth of the well. Jacob went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well (verse 10) enabling the sheep to drink. The Hebrew word rolled in this incident is the same word commit in Proverbs 16:3. The figure of rolling, as in rolling our burdens onto God, is also found in Psalms 37:5 and 55:22. It portrays complete dependence on God.
The apostle Peter wrote something similar; Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (1Peter 5:7). The Greek word cast means essentially the same as commit in the Hebrew to throw or place upon. It is a decisive act on our part. It is also the same word used for threw in the story of Jesus when he was about to enter Jerusalem on a donkey – They threw their cloaks on the colt (Luke 19:35). Throw whatever is bothering you onto the back of the Lord. He will do something about it because he cares for you.
Cant forgive someone? Roll it onto God. Angry? Roll it onto God.
Afraid? Roll it onto God.
Fed up with the injustices in the world? Roll it onto God.
Dealing with a difficult person? Roll it onto God.
Abused? Roll it onto God.
Something distracting you? Roll it onto God.
But there is more. Gods invitation to this rolling is limitless. Solomon says roll whatever you do onto God. As you journey through life, roll everything onto God – all those plans and hopes and dreams. And when you roll them onto God dont just think these thoughts. Be real. Turn your thoughts into words. Talk to God. Be specific: Let your requests be known to God (Philippians 4:6). Say to him I am worried about…. I give it to you. Its yours. I dont know what to do.1 Prayer is a relationship and God desires our input. He wants us to share our lives with him. He wants to know you through you! God wants to listen to you what a thought!
The word commit is sometimes translated in the Old Testament as trust. The Amplified Bible translates Proverbs 16:3; Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him….]. Whatever it is, commit it to him. Roll it onto him. Trust God that he will take it and do what He wants with it. Leave it with him and rest. And what will happen in the future? God will establish your plans. He will shape our wants and wills and plans so that they align with his and he will put his desires into our hearts so that they become ours (Psalm 37:4).
So, take that weight off your shoulders. God is inviting you to roll everything onto him. Then you can have the confidence and inner peace that your plans, desires and concerns will work out one way or the other because they will align with Gods desires.
Now thats an invitation you cant refuse!
1. 2 Chronicles 20 is a powerful example of how to roll our fears, worries and discouragements onto God and how to speak to him in detail about them.
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