May 22

"Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee." — Psalm 1v. 22.

THE promises of God are of two classes: there are some that are absolute; as, "The Lord will give grace and glory. As thy day, so shall thy strength be." Others are conditional; as, "Acknowledge him in all thy ways, and he shall direct thy paths:" the promise before us is of this description. Here we see that the believer has a burden to try him, a duty to engage him, and a promise to encourage him.

A BURDEN TO TRY HIM. And of what does it consist? Of sins, for though the power of corruption is subdued, its being still remains; the root of enmity is not plucked up, but its shootings are checked; the tyrant is not destroyed, but he is dethroned, and his sceptre is broken; the lion retains his ferocity, but he is in chains. There is a burden of cares, and these arise from innumerable sources, external and internal; of doubts, respecting our spiritual state before God.

A DUTY TO ENGAGE HIM. "Cast thy burden upon the Lord." What else can we do? We should soon sink under the load. We are to cast our burden of sins on him, by a reliance on the merits of Christ: our burden of cares, by trusting in his providence; and our burden of doubts, by pleading his promise. Why should we complain of our burden? "We fear," says Bishop Hall, "our best friends: for my part I have learned more of God and myself in one week's extremity, than the prosperity of a whole life had taught me before."

A PROMISE TO ENCOURAGE HIM. "He shall sustain thee." He sustains us under the load of sin, by giving more grace; under the weight of cares, by imparting true comforts; and under the burden of doubts, by increasing our faith. Dwell more, then, on the brightness of God's promises than the darkness of his providences; and while the weight of the burden would excite your fear, let the omnipotence of Jehovah's arm inspire your confidence.

"Still on the Lord thy burden roll, Nor let a care remain; His mighty arm shall bear thy soul, And all thy griefs sustain."