Conversatons In The Garden: Yoking Up Burdens

"Then Jesus said, 'Come unto me all of you who are weary
and carrying heavy burdens,

and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you. 

Let me teach you because I am humble and gentle at heart,

and you will find rest for your souls.'" (NLT)

"My yoke is easy and my burden is light." ( NIV)

Matthew 11:28-30

About two weeks before I started hearing the verses above over and over,  which now number 13 by the way, I started hearing from God about burdens while in the "garden".  For over a year now I have entered into the garden of my heart nearly every morning, where I visualize spending time with Jesus and my Heavenly Father.  During this particular visit, I noticed to the right of the garden gate a pile of rocks of different sizes. Behind the rocks I could see only the base of a cross, but I knew that this was where I was to lay down my burdens.  At the foot of the cross.  (Eventually this became part of my daily routine, to go into the garden, cast all my cares in this area and move forward to wait for Jesus.)

Immediately I noticed or rather felt a heaviness weighing me down.  I was carrying a backpack and as Jesus stood before me He said, "You cannot walk carrying that.  It is holding you back."  I took action to remove the backpack and it was so heavy it hit the ground with a thump.  I asked Jesus, "What is in that backpack....It is so heavy...?"  He did not really reply, but as I looked down at it I could "see" fears, unforgiveness, worries, traumatic memories, etc. spilling out of the top. 

The burdens

I

think

I

need

to

carry

 

The

burdens

I

choose

to

carry

 

Jesus then took my hand and we began walking.  We came to a big mountain.  It was not the large boulder representing the abuse like before.  No, this was a mountain.  On the mountain I could make out the words  F E A R.  I sat down at the base and studied it.  I knew I needed to find a way over the top.  Each attempt to climb it ended with me on the ground.  I would go up the face of the mountain a short way and then fall back down.  Climb again and fall back down! 

That is where I left the garden that day....with me sitting at the base with my knees bent, contemplating how to get past this mountain, realizing that the foundation of all my present struggles came from fear.

 

 Another day after the bombardment of Matt. 11:28- 30 began, I went back into the garden and ended up back at the mountain, so I asked Jesus how I could conquer the fear?  Immediately I saw boards with words written on them that were being placed on it.  The face of the mountain now appeared to be magnetic, and the boards could be placed on the front of it.  One said, PRAYER, another, PRAISE, and yet another PROMISES OF GOD which I knew I were to be spoken aloud.  Speaking God's Word has great power and never returns void.  Then I noticed that these boards could be the steps I needed to climb the mountain and I saw myself climbing the mountain.  When I would put my foot on one of the boards, the mountain would shrink a little......then the next step up and it shrank a little more.  Here was the key to conquering my fears and laying down my burdens.  Prayer-Praise-Promises of God-Speaking His Word.   Taking my focus off my problems and putting it on God!

 

I know I still have much to learn on this journey with "My yoke is easy, My burden is light", so daily I have settled in with a listening ear, alert mind, my Bible, and my pen.  When God sends you a message so strong that you are even HEARING the verse on a TV commercial while switching channels, I KNOW it is important.  S.E.R.I.O.U.S.L.Y. 

 

God gave me these verses too, while meditating and asking for a word of knowledge.  I think He is telling me to pay attention, girl.  In obedience, I did and I am.

 

"My child, pay attention to what I say

Listen carefully to my words

Don't lose sight of them

Let them penetrate deeply into your heart

For they bring life to those who find them

And healing to their whole body."

Proverbs 4:20-23