My burden

Father, as I behold Your Word before me, I am in awe of the privilege that You’ve given me - and not only the privilege Lord, but the responsibility as well.

GOD! This is Your WORD! Men and women have died to make this Word available to me; and what am I doing with it? I feel such a weight - such a burden to share it - to teach it - to give others the “want-to” to read it for themselves. (But who do I think I am to do that?)

Father, most of the people I know and associate with know the stories - we’ve heard them all our lives, but Lord, we don’t really “know” the stories. They are “fairy tales” - we don’t know what they are saying to us - what You are saying to us…

Father, we don’t “read what we read.” Even if we take the time to actually read Your Word, we don’t look at the words, we don’t dig for the meaning, and we think… (God forgive us) we think we already know… and so, we don’t listen, either.

What is the context, Lord? We can’t just take bits and pieces here and there and expect to really hear You. What is it they call it Lord, “proof text?” That we can “prove” anything in the world we want to prove, and say anything we want to say, (and make Your Word say anything we want it to say) if we just take Your Word away from its Holy Spirit inspired place and setting - away from its context?

Our children are woefully ignorant of Your Word. Our churches are woefully ignorant of Your Word, and You’ve said, “My people will perish for lack of knowledge…” No Lord, ignorance isn’t “bliss” - it’s as dangerous as a rattlesnake… or should I say “serpent…”

Lord, hear my cry. Lord, feel this anxiety that grips the pit of my stomach. Lord, see my aching heart. And show me what to do.

In Jesus’ name - Amen.