I was spending my Saturday afternoon working on notes for next week’s teaching. At least that is what I was attempting to do. My mind kept wondering here and there.
I had just come through a busy week. Every day was filled to the brim with some task needing to be completed.
All these things were on my mind as I studied.
I began to feel the nudge of the Holy Spirit. Slightly at first. Momentarily, it became more intense. I felt God wanted me to step away and get quiet before Him. After several minutes I walked out onto my back porch and sat down on the swing.
My porch swing. It’s where I go when I need to take a moment.
The moment I sat down; the Lord began to speak to me. He said, “lay it aside and come to Me. Lay aside the grandkids. Lay aside the finances. Lay aside the healing you seek. Lay the teaching aside. Lay it all aside, and come to Me, just as you are.”
I took a deep breath as an old hymn came to mind. I know you are familiar with it. It is called Just as I Am. As the words from that song journeyed through my mind, tears began to roll down my face.
The first verse says…
Just as I am, without one plea, but that Thy blood was shed for me, and that Thou bid’st me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come! I come!
I knew God was speaking to me through this song. He was bidding me to come aside. To lay all the cares and concerns aside. To come to Him, knowing, my answers for each need are found in Him alone.
He alone can protect my grandkids. He is my provider of all things financial. He is my healer. He leads me and guides me in the way I should go. It is God who will lead me in what to teach. If not Him, then it is not worth teaching anyway. God was reminding me. Everything I have need of is in Him. Sometimes we must come aside and just be with Him.
Another verse of the hymnal went through my mind.
Just as I am, thou wilt receive, wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve; Because Thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come, I come!
Hebrews 12:1 says to lay aside every weight that easily besets us.
The word besets means to surround or press on every side. It means to press you so much that movement seems impossible. That is exactly what the enemy does with cares and concerns.
Proverbs 12:25 tells us that cares or anxieties weigh us down. Have you ever felt weighed down by cares and concerns? I know I have.
For this reason, the Bible tells us to cast all our cares upon God. (1 Peter 5:7)
This wonderful old hymn says God will relieve. It is God who brings relief to all your cares and concerns. Your part is to abide in Him and remain in Him. We are kept in perfect peace as our mind is stayed upon Him.
The very reason the enemy attacks us with all the cares is to get our mind off God and onto the problem. However, if we refuse to get our eyes on the concerns, we will remain in peace.
Today, as the Lord ministered to me, I realized something. It is not only a gigantic problem or concern that will get our eyes off God. It may just be a dozen little concerns. Nothing life altering. Simply a bunch of little things.
I am reminded of the scripture that says it is the little foxes that spoil the vine. It’s not always something big that demands your attention. It doesn’t matter if you are trying to carry one large boulder on your shoulder or a dozen little ones. It is still a weight that is not yours to carry.
Today I believe God is saying to you, “lay aside every little thing that is trying to hem you in and overwhelm you. Lay it aside and come to Him. Everything you have need of is found in Him. Come, just as you are. Come.”
Appoint My Days
I walk in soundness of mind and divine direction, for Jesus has destroyed confusion in my life. I have the mind of Christ. I will not listen to the voice of doubt and discouragement. I hear the voice of the Good Shepherd and the voice of a stranger I will not follow.
I Corinthians 2:16; John 10:5; Joshua 1, John 10:27
