Daily Devotional: 8/4/2018 - THE BRIDGE

"Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken." Psalm 55:22.

Have you ever stood in the rain? As kids that all we wanted to do was stand in the rain with our tongue out. Sometimes standing in the rain is fun and refreshing, meanwhile other times it is not so much fun. Standing in the rain can be therapeutic, a natural washing; a washing away of your worries and fears. It is just you and the water that God is showering you with. Meanwhile sometimes it is annoying. Now where ever you are going to end up soaking wet and you do not have a second pair of clothes so you are out of luck.

Twice in the past couple of weeks I have seen this happen. Twice I have seen two people stand in the rain, but that was not the unordinary part about it. The thing that caught my eye was the fact that during both occurrences there was a bridge less than ten feet away.

The first person was literally standing two feet (if that) from the bridge, all he has to do was take two steps and he was under the bridge and out of the rain.

• He was distracted and mesmerized by his phone instead of what was right in front of him. It is so much easier to use your phone when it is dry.

The second person was waiting for his ride on the side of the road. He has his umbrella up helping him out, but the bridge was less than ten feet away.

• If he was under the bridge he would not have to hold up the umbrella, it is easier on the shoulders. Sometimes it is better to work smarter not harder.

Both times I jokingly commented in my car for them to go under the bridge. God humbled me real quick, he whispered into my ears, "You are doing the same."

God has a sick (amazingly annoying) sense of humor, but that is why I love him. Sometimes it is the only way we will pay attention. God will show us things in the most creative ways and use it for his glory.

• God uses all things for his glory whether it was intentional or "unintentional".

All God wants us to do is go to him for help. He wants us to cast all our cares, needs, worries, anxiety, frustrations, etc. on him.

• 1 Peter 5:7, says "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

He knows that we cannot handle everything. We do not have the strength to handle anything. Only God does, his strength is unlimited.

• 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond was you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it."

He will sustain us, he will never let us be shaken. He is able to defeat all things for us.

Sometimes he sends things our way in order to protect us and lead us on the path that ends with him. We cannot be stubborn, we have to lean on him and we have to go to him.

• He wants us to be dry and does not want us to get wet.

Sometimes the umbrella is not enough.

• We cannot do all this on our own.

Sometimes we have to check our self and see where our heart is.

• We can get lost and caught up in the world by thinking and worrying about what people think. Also, by wanting worldly desires and relationships; meanwhile we need have our eyes set on the Kingdom and God.

Do not be stubborn by standing in the rain - embracing our troubles, trying to do it on our own, and being caught up in the world - meanwhile the bridge - God - is a couple feet away wanting to protect us and keep us dry.

Lord, thank you for all you do. I pray you open our hearts and minds to you, fill us with you. I pray that you open our eyes with the Light that shines bright through you. I pray that you give us the wisdom and strength to come to you in need. You take all things on for us. You take on our anxiety. You take on our cares. You take on our desires. You take on our worries. There is nothing that you do not take on for us. I pray that you continue to protect us. I pray you that you open our eyes to what is right in front of us. I pray all this in your son's glorious awesome name, Amen.

#LetsBeAMovement