Carried

I feel like there's a lot of things I could write about, which is good because it means my brain is processing, but summer is apparently over because I have been staying quite busy between school work, stuff for church, running, and rehearsals.  So there are a few "drafts" in my head that I may eventually set down, or maybe not, but this morning I just need a quick moment to get my heart oriented the right direction before the day really begins.

A few days ago I was looking for something in the Psalms, I wasn't sure what, and came across Psalm 146, which says this (v. 5-9):

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry.  The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.  The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

There's a few key things: God is sovereignly in control as Creator; He is forever faithful; and He helps people in bad positions, including widows.  I have so little knowledge in Hebrew and how it works, so I tried my best to figure out that word "uphold" and what it really means.  From what I could gather, the root word is sometimes translated as "admonish," to earnestly advise or urge, but another thought about the word is that it means "return, go about, repeat, do again."  The idea of something that is done over and over to show its importance.  So in this case, it may be better to think of it as "restore" or "relieve."  (Unfortunately the way the word is written it only occurs like this in this verse so that makes this exploration all the harder).

So after all of that, at the very least, I can say that God comes to us again and again, continually helping us, because He wants us to know that we are important enough in His eyes.

Which brings me to the next verse I read this morning, Psalm 68:19:

Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation.

Totally different word here, this idea of bearing up is literally to "carry a load."  Whether talking about loading up a beast of burden or physical labor, or the emotional side of carrying something like a weight, the idea here is much more clear.  God carries us.  Daily.  And so Psalm 68:19 shows us the daily, repeated relief God gives us that is talked about in 146:9.

The One who made galaxies and ants.  Light and gravity.  Each and every unique thing, great and small.  He carries us.

Because He cares about us.




"Come to me, all 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."