“…casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully].” (I Peter 5:7 The Amplified Bible)
I like to move things around in the house, usually daily. You can call it a decorating compulsion or some other type of disorder it you so desire, but I just look at it a continuing to be mobile, creative, and to strive for perfection in designing the décor of every room. Did I make myself look good! Sounds like I should be on HGTV, right? Smile!
Let me get to a true story I want to share with you today, and then point you to some words that you are familiar with, that is, if you have been in the church for any amount of time. First, the story, another true account. Our laundry/ furnace room is a pretty good size and that is where I store all the pictures, lamps, vases, and small furnishings I used to decorate. I look at it as a hobby collection, but some would call it hidden clutter. Realizing how much space I am taking and how my “collection,” at times is consuming too much space, I load up the SUV and head to the Goodwill to donate things. The last time I was there, not that long ago, there were a line of cars waiting to get to the donation door. The line was not moving. I looked ahead and saw a person who had unloaded items to be donated, going through boxes and bags that he had brought to giveaway. Slowly, disregarding the cars waiting in line, acting as if we were invisible or endowed with great patience, this person was putting things back in his vehicle. Obviously, he did not want to leave some items there. For him, it was a change of mind. For us in line, it was a test of patience. However, looking at things now, I understand that the person holding up the line was unintentionally giving us a lesson about holding on to that which you really don’t need. Nevertheless, his procrastination was starting to cause aggravation.
I knew aggravation had set in with some of the drivers ahead of me because I started hearing people blowing their horns, and one person even stuck his head out of the window and hollered, “Alright, already! Just leave it there!” The man holding up the donation line paid no attention to the boisterous voice, and he continued until he was done. I’m sure his spouse was going to shake her head in disgust and disappointment when he started bringing back items he just could not let go of, not yet.
That’s the true story. Now, our thoughtful lesson. Often, we take things to the Lord, our anxieties, our troubles, our concerns, our worries, and a wealth of other things, seeking His help in putting us at ease or peace. Fortunately, faithfully, many times we go down in prayer, look up to heaven, cast all our cares on Him, and we get up relieved, and our negative feelings have been released. In those instances, we have placed it all in His hands. However, and you know I am right about it, there are times where we are just like the man in the donation line, unwilling to leave the things he should have left at the thrift shop. Yes, there are times, be honest about it, that we do the right thing in going to the Lord in prayer, but when we get up we take our anxieties, troubles, concerns, worries, and more back with us.
Well, what I won’t you to do, when you behave in the latter way I described above; what I want you to do is to imagine me sticking my head out of my car window and telling you, “Just leave it there!” I might add some pastoral commentary about letting the Lord guide how you manage all you have to deal with after you leave it there, but please hear me yelling out, “Just leave it there.”
Below are those words I mentioned that church folks are familiar with, words written by Charles A. Tindley in 1916, words that will support what I want you to do in 2024 and in all your years to come, starting today. Read Tindley’s words with an open mind and a receptive heart! Be blessed!
“Leave it there, leave it there,
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there;
If you trust and never doubt, He will surely bring you out—
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.”
Committed to the climb,
Mark L. King