Never a Burden

Scripture: And as for the prophet, priest, or one of the people who says, ‘The burden of the Lord,’ I will punish that man and his household. Thus shall you say, every one to his neighbor and every one to his brother, ‘What has the Lord answered?’ or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ But ‘the burden of the Lord’ you shall mention no more, for the burden is every man's own word, and you pervert the words of the living God, the Lord of hosts, our God. Jeremiah 23:34-36

Observation: False prophets have been using the phrase "the burden of the Lord" to describe the messages they say God has given them. However, there is a very simple correction here that also serves as an indicator of falsehood - the Lord is never a burden to us! The word of the Lord - even a harsh word spoken to guide and correct - is a wonder to assist us. It cannot be a 'burden'.

God goes a step further - the only 'burden' we have is man's own thoughts and words. We burden ourselves with our own beliefs, pursuits, thoughts, fears, goals, and designs. By claiming God's word is a burden, we 'pervert the words' of God.

Application: How often do faithful people - myself included - fear the whispers of God as something we do not want to pursue, while we think on our own plans as the "easy" thing we should be doing? Jeremiah teaches that this is backwards ... our plans and thoughts are a burden we carry in life, and God's instructions are answers to prayer that are never a burden. These verses, of course, go even deeper, indicating that any man who considers God to be a burden will in fact be punished severely.

Do I see any whispers of God in my life right now that I consider a burden? Perhaps some of the ideas I received last week about prison outreach and how to leverage my position to assist. I received a whisper, but I worry about how to act. This lesson makes it clear - I must not consider this a burden, but rather guidance. I need to pray on this, but then act, knowing that God will make the way easier (not 'easy' but 'easier) than my path would be if I failed to act or sought my own plan.

Prayer: Lord, thy will be done. I will continue to pray, and I will engage in your work following your plan as you reveal your will. Amen.