Morning, May 26
Go To Evening Reading
“Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee.”
Psalm 55:22
Care, even though exercised upon legitimate objects, if carried to
excess, has in it the nature of sin. The precept to avoid anxious
care is earnestly inculcated by our Saviour, again and again; it is
reiterated by the apostles; and it is one which cannot be neglected
without involving transgression: for the very essence of anxious care
is the imagining that we are wiser than God, and the thrusting ourselves
into his place to do for him that which he has undertaken to do for
us. We attempt to think of that which we fancy he will forget; we
labour to take upon ourselves our weary burden, as if he were unable
or unwilling to take it for us. Now this disobedience to his plain
precept, this unbelief in his Word, this presumption in intruding
upon his province, is all sinful. Yet more than this, anxious care
often leads to acts of sin. He who cannot calmly leave his affairs
in God’s hand, but will carry his own burden, is very likely to be tempted
to use wrong means to help himself. This sin leads to a forsaking
of God as our counsellor, and resorting instead to human wisdom. This
is going to the “broken cistern” instead of to the “fountain;” a sin which was laid against Israel of old. Anxiety makes us doubt
God’s lovingkindness, and thus our love to him grows cold; we feel mistrust,
and thus grieve the Spirit of God, so that our prayers become hindered,
our consistent example marred, and our life one of self-seeking. Thus
want of confidence in God leads us to wander far from him; but if
through simple faith in his promise, we cast each burden as it comes
upon him, and are “careful for nothing” because he undertakes to care for us, it will keep us close to him,
and strengthen us against much temptation. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee,
because he trusteth in thee.”