{"id":1228,"date":"2010-08-22T01:09:22","date_gmt":"2010-08-22T01:09:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-toss-your-burden-on-the-lord.html"},"modified":"2010-08-22T01:09:22","modified_gmt":"2010-08-22T01:09:22","slug":"sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-toss-your-burden-on-the-lord","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-toss-your-burden-on-the-lord.html","title":{"rendered":"Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling<\/em>: Toss Your Burden on the Lord"},"content":{"rendered":"
READ Psalm 55:1-23<\/a><\/div>\n
 <\/div>\n

\nGive your burdens to the LORD,
     and he will take care of you.
     He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.
\n<\/p>\n

Psalm 55:22<\/a><\/div>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em>But something is lost in this more contemporary rendering. The Hebrew verb translated here as “give” (shalakh<\/em>)
\nand in other translations as “cast,” is not the simple Hebrew word
\nmeaning “to give.” Rather, it’s basic sense is “to throw” or “to hurl.”
\nIt was used, for example, in the story of Joseph and his brothers.
\nGenesis 37:24 says that they “threw” him into a cistern, using the verb
\nshalakh. <\/em>Even the verb “cast,” which is stronger than “give,”
\ndoesn’t quite get the sense of the original Hebrew. Casting could be
\ntoo calm, like fishing in some idyllic forest stream. I prefer a more
\nrobust “throw” or “hurl” or “toss” for shalakh<\/em>. <\/p>\n

The
\nuse of this verb in Psalm 55:22, therefore, paints a powerful picture
\nof entrusting our burden to God. We’re invited, not just to hand over
\nour concerns nicely, but to hurl them upon the Lord. It’s as if we’re
\nshouting, “I’ve had it with this burden. I can’t handle it myself.
\nHere, Lord, you take it!” In throwing our burden to the Lord, we’re
\nreally letting go of it. Once we’ve tossed it to him, it’s gone. It’s
\nno longer ours to carry. <\/p>\n

Notice the promise of Psalm 55:22. It
\ndoes not read, “Toss your burden on the LORD and he will take care of
\nit.” This is implied, surely. But the text says, “Toss your burden on
\nthe LORD and he will take care of you<\/em>.” God is there, not
\nonly to help with our challenges, but to sustain and nurture us. What a
\nwonderful promise, and an even more wonderful reality.<\/p>\n

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION<\/strong>: Are you carrying any burdens today that you need to toss at the Lord? What is keeping you from doing this? <\/p>\n

PRAYER<\/strong>:
\nO Lord, how good you are to me, again and again and again. Thank you
\nfor this marvelous invitation and promise in Psalm 55:22. Thank you for
\nencouraging me to toss my burdens on you. I cannot carry them alone.
\nIndeed, I’m not supposed to. You are there to bear my burdens with me,
\nand, indeed, to care for me in the process. <\/p>\n

Help me, Lord, to
\ntrust you with everything in my life. May I trust you especially with
\nthose things about which I am apt to worry. By your Spirit, help me to
\nhurl my burdens to you. May I only pick up that which you give me to
\ncarry.<\/p>\n

All praise be to you, gracious God, because you carry my burden . . . and because you carry me. Amen<\/em>.<\/p>\n

_________________________________________________<\/p>\n

\"high-calling-screenshot-4.jpg\"<\/span>Would you like to receive a Daily Reflection like this one in your email inbox each morning?  <\/strong><\/p>\n

Here’s how . . . . <\/em><\/strong>
\nThis devotional comes from The High Calling of Our Daily Work <\/em>(www.thehighcalling.org<\/a>), a wonderful website about work and God<\/em>. You can read my Daily Reflections<\/a> there, or sign up to have them sent to your email inbox<\/a> each day. This website contains lots of encouragement for people who are trying to live out their faith in the workplace.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

READ Psalm 55:1-23   Give your burdens to the LORD,     and he will take care of you.     He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. Psalm 55:22 But something is lost in this more contemporary rendering. The Hebrew verb translated here as “give” (shalakh) and in other translations as “cast,” is not the simple Hebrew…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":214,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1228","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sunday-inspiration"],"yoast_head":"\nSunday Inspiration from The High Calling: Toss Your Burden on the Lord - Mark D. Roberts<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-toss-your-burden-on-the-lord.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling: Toss Your Burden on the Lord - Mark D. Roberts\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"READ Psalm 55:1-23   Give your burdens to the LORD,     and he will take care of you.     He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. Psalm 55:22 But something is lost in this more contemporary rendering. The Hebrew verb translated here as “give” (shalakh) and in other translations as “cast,” is not the simple Hebrew…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-toss-your-burden-on-the-lord.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Mark D. Roberts\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2010-08-22T01:09:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/files\/import\/photos\/high-calling-screenshot-4.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mark D. Roberts\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling: Toss Your Burden on the Lord - Mark D. Roberts","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-toss-your-burden-on-the-lord.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling: Toss Your Burden on the Lord - Mark D. Roberts","og_description":"READ Psalm 55:1-23   Give your burdens to the LORD,     and he will take care of you.     He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. Psalm 55:22 But something is lost in this more contemporary rendering. The Hebrew verb translated here as “give” (shalakh) and in other translations as “cast,” is not the simple Hebrew…","og_url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-toss-your-burden-on-the-lord.html","og_site_name":"Mark D. Roberts","article_published_time":"2010-08-22T01:09:22+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/files\/import\/photos\/high-calling-screenshot-4.jpg"}],"author":"Mark D. Roberts","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-toss-your-burden-on-the-lord.html","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-toss-your-burden-on-the-lord.html","name":"Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling: Toss Your Burden on the Lord - Mark D. Roberts","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-toss-your-burden-on-the-lord.html#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-toss-your-burden-on-the-lord.html#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/files\/import\/photos\/high-calling-screenshot-4.jpg","datePublished":"2010-08-22T01:09:22+00:00","dateModified":"2010-08-22T01:09:22+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/1ff094a57b7e41f534434b1723df3d73"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-toss-your-burden-on-the-lord.html#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-toss-your-burden-on-the-lord.html"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-toss-your-burden-on-the-lord.html#primaryimage","url":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/files\/import\/photos\/high-calling-screenshot-4.jpg","contentUrl":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/files\/import\/photos\/high-calling-screenshot-4.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/08\/sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-toss-your-burden-on-the-lord.html#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling: Toss Your Burden on the Lord"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/","name":"Mark D. Roberts","description":"Mark D. Roberts: Thoughtfully Christian Reflections on Jesus, the Church, and the World","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/1ff094a57b7e41f534434b1723df3d73","name":"Mark D. Roberts","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","caption":"Mark D. Roberts"},"description":"The Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a pastor, author, retreat leader, speaker, and blogger. Since October 2007 he has been the Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge, a multifaceted ministry in the Hill Country of Texas. Before coming to Laity Lodge, he was for sixteen years the Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California (a city in Orange County about forty miles south of Los Angeles). Before his time at Irvine Pres, Mark served on the staff of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood as Associate Pastor of Education. (Thanks to Janel Pahl for taking the photo to the right.) Mark studied at Harvard University, receiving a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in the Study of Religion, and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins. He has taught classes in New Testament for Fuller Theological Seminary and San Francisco Theological Seminary. Mark has written several books, including No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer (WaterBrook, 2005), Dare to Be True (WaterBrook, 2003), Jesus Revealed (WaterBrook, 2002), After \"I Believe\" (Baker, 2002), and Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Word, 1993). His most recent book is Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (Crossway, 2007). He is currently working on a commentary on Ephesians that will be published by Zondervan in 2014. Mark writes a devotional for The High Calling of Our Daily Work, a website associated with Laity Lodge. His \"Daily Reflections\" can be viewed online or sent as a daily email. If you wish to receive this email, just visit TheHighCalling.org and sign up. Mark serves on the editorial board of Worship Leader magazine, where he publishes articles and reviews, including his regular column \"Lyrical Poetry.\" Additionally, he has published dozens of articles in leading magazines and journals. He often speaks for churches and other Christian groups, and has been interviewed on over seventy-five radio programs nationwide. Mark is married to Linda, who is a Marriage and Family Therapist, a Spiritual Director, and a retreat speaker. They have two children, Nathan and Kara.For Publicity Photos and Bio Statements for Mark, please check here. Mark's Dossier Professional History: Senior Director and Scholar-in Residence, Laity Lodge, October 2007 to present. Senior Pastor Irvine Presbyterian Church, June 1991 to September 2007 Adjunct Assistant Professor Fuller Theological Seminary, 1994 to 2007. Courses: New Testament Theology and Exegesis. Adjunct Instructor San Francisco Theological Seminary, 1995 to 2001. Courses: New Testament Greek and Exegesis Associate Pastor of Education First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, 1987-1991 Teaching Fellow Harvard University, 1980-1983 Education: Ph.D. in the Study of Religion. Harvard University, 1992. Area: New Testament and Christian Origins M.A. in the Study of Religion Harvard University, 1984. A.B. magna cum laude in Philosophy Harvard University, 1979. Phi Beta Kappa; Danforth Fellowship Books: Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Crossway, 2007 No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer. WaterBrook, 2005 Dare to Be True: Living in the Freedom of Complete Honesty. WaterBrook, 2003. Jesus Revealed: Know Him Better to Love Him Better. WaterBrook, 2002. After \"I Believe\": Experiencing Authentic Christian Living. Baker, 2002. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther in the Communicator's Commentary Series. Word, 1993. Contacting Mark: You can reach Mark at: E-mail: mark@markdroberts.com mroberts@laitylodge.org Phone: Laity Lodge: (830) 792-1216 Address: Laity Lodge 719 Earl Garrett Kerrville, TX 78028","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/author\/mroberts"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1228","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/214"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1228"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1228\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1228"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1228"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1228"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}