Last week I was listening to my ipod and the song "At Your Feet" by Casting Crowns came on. Its always been one of my favorites...I am just I drawn to the tune and the words really minister to me. But on this particular day, they really ministered to me. I can't really explain all that had been going on with me lately other than to say that the world was really getting to me. Yes, that about sums it all up...the "world" was getting to me. So on this day when I heard "At Your Feet" I really felt a burden to just lay down all my struggles at the feet of Jesus. Not just tell God about them and continue carrying them around with me. Instead it felt like more of a total surrender...to lay them down and never pick them back up. Being that these struggles were fresh on my mind it wasn't hard to figure out what needed to be laid down, and with such a burden that they were and really bogging me down, it felt fairly easy to just lay them down and "walk away"...figurately of course. It was such a relief to go through with this. It really was just admitting to God my struggles and giving them to Him to handle and telling Him "I am done with these!" Its so amazing to have a God that we can give our burdens to and He takes them willingly. Its never an issue on His side for us to give them over to Him....He WANTS to handle them for us. Nothing is impossible with Him after all.
If we try and carry around all these burdens ourselves it only hurts us. It boggs us down and keeps us from being as affective as we could be. After all we are to be light in the world, but if we are holding onto all these things of the world our light will become dim. Ephesians 5:8-17 says:
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
Romans 12:2 says:
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
One more thought...John 10 is full of incredible insight but here are verses 7-18:
Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
Jesus talks a lot in this chapter about laying down his life for the sheep. In relation to the idea of laying our burdens and struggles in life at the feet of Jesus....wouldn't it be safe to say that if He can lay down His life for us that we can lay down our stuggles and let Him handle them? Sure He was the God is flesh, but He was also human and went through life just like we do with temptations and struggles. So as you read the lyrics of the song by Casting Crowns, think about what things/areas of your life that you need to lay down at His feet. Freedom is just on the otherside of laying them down.
At Your Feet - by Casting Crowns
Here at Your feet, I lay my past down
My wanderings, all my mistakes down
And I am free
Here at Your feet, I lay this day down
Not in my strength, but in Yours I’ve found
All I need, You’re all I need
Jesus, Jesus, at Your feet
Oh, to dwell and never leave
Jesus, Jesus, at Your feet
There is nowhere else for me
There is nowhere else for me
Here at Your feet, I lay my future down
All of my dreams, I give to You now
And I find peace, I find peace
Here at Your feet, I lay my life down
For You my King, You’re all I want now
And my soul sings…"
Cause I am free (here at Your feet)
All I need (is at Your feet)
I find peace
We're at Your feet
We're at Your feet
And I am free (here at Your feet)
All I need (is at Your feet)
I find peace
We're at Your feet
We're at Your feet
We're at Your feet
Here at Your feet
I lay my life down
2 Corinthians 9:8 / Exodus 15:2 / Psalm 81:6 / Psalm 116:16 / Psalm 142:7 / Philippians 4:19 / Psalm 55:22 / Psalm 51:9-12 / Jeremiah 19:11 / 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 / Galatians 2:20 / 1 John 1:9
If we try and carry around all these burdens ourselves it only hurts us. It boggs us down and keeps us from being as affective as we could be. After all we are to be light in the world, but if we are holding onto all these things of the world our light will become dim. Ephesians 5:8-17 says:
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
Romans 12:2 says:
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
One more thought...John 10 is full of incredible insight but here are verses 7-18:
Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
Jesus talks a lot in this chapter about laying down his life for the sheep. In relation to the idea of laying our burdens and struggles in life at the feet of Jesus....wouldn't it be safe to say that if He can lay down His life for us that we can lay down our stuggles and let Him handle them? Sure He was the God is flesh, but He was also human and went through life just like we do with temptations and struggles. So as you read the lyrics of the song by Casting Crowns, think about what things/areas of your life that you need to lay down at His feet. Freedom is just on the otherside of laying them down.
At Your Feet - by Casting Crowns
Here at Your feet, I lay my past down
My wanderings, all my mistakes down
And I am free
Here at Your feet, I lay this day down
Not in my strength, but in Yours I’ve found
All I need, You’re all I need
Jesus, Jesus, at Your feet
Oh, to dwell and never leave
Jesus, Jesus, at Your feet
There is nowhere else for me
There is nowhere else for me
Here at Your feet, I lay my future down
All of my dreams, I give to You now
And I find peace, I find peace
Here at Your feet, I lay my life down
For You my King, You’re all I want now
And my soul sings…"
Cause I am free (here at Your feet)
All I need (is at Your feet)
I find peace
We're at Your feet
We're at Your feet
And I am free (here at Your feet)
All I need (is at Your feet)
I find peace
We're at Your feet
We're at Your feet
We're at Your feet
Here at Your feet
I lay my life down
2 Corinthians 9:8 / Exodus 15:2 / Psalm 81:6 / Psalm 116:16 / Psalm 142:7 / Philippians 4:19 / Psalm 55:22 / Psalm 51:9-12 / Jeremiah 19:11 / 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 / Galatians 2:20 / 1 John 1:9
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