Carried

Ever feel like you need to be carried? Carried by the Lord? Has the situations you’ve faced in life ever seemed so intense that you feel like you just can’t go on by yourself? 

There is a very old criticism that Christianity is a “crutch” for people who can’t handle life on their own. And the common answer was that Christianity is not a crutch. It’s actually like a stretcher on which we are carried. 

Yes, we know that God desires for us to learn, grow, and to stand on our own. We are to lead our lives responsibly, care for our families, and carry out all that we are responsible for. We are to live our lives with honor and responsibility. But then there are times where life gets the best of us and we just can’t take it any longer. 

When David interceded for the people, he was sure to acknowledge his dependence on God. As the king he could have defaulted to the military might of the nation. But he put his entire focus on God as the sustainer. 

“Oh, save your people and bless your heritage! Be their shepherd and carry them forever” (Psalm 28:9). 

He recognized that God is the one who saves his people from their troubles and carries them like a shepherd. The imagery of a shepherd was clear in the minds of the people of that time. 

But along with being the king, he was a warrior in his own right. He became adept at handling the sword and spear, and other equipments of war. But even while he was a shepherd, he saved the sheep from the lion and the bear – but he attributed everything to God’s enabling power. 

We know all this but continue to get stressed out when troubles add up. We look to ourselves and wonder what we’re going to do to solve the problem. But all along, God has the solution for us. He’s carrying us. 

But we just need to stop striving and trust him. But that’s often the most difficult part of the journey — trust. It ought to be the easiest since he is carrying us. 

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