Photo by Brittani Burns
“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Selah" – Psalm 68:19, NIV
In every season of our lives, we inevitably carry unseen burdens. These burdens, akin to oppressive weights on the bearer, often manifest as mental or emotional stress stemming from anxiety, fear of the unknown, or past traumas. Moreover, our disobedience and sin can exacerbate these burdens (Psalm 38:4).
Regrettably, burdens cannot be discarded like items in a backpack. Instead, they persist day and night, consuming our thoughts and robbing us of sleep and rest, leaving us weary and fatigued.
It is comforting, however, to know that our God daily bears our burdens. He understands how much we can bear daily (1 Corinthians 10:13). He knows the weight of all our burdens, and “He carries us in His arms” (Psalm 68:19, NLT). Picture a mother comforting her child and assuring that all is well and under control.
Interestingly, in the New King James Version, Psalm 68:19 reads, "Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation! Selah."
[The difference between Psalm 68:19 in the NIV and NKJV versions lies in their emphasis: the NIV highlights God's role as a burden-bearer who sustains us through life's challenges, while the NKJV emphasizes God's continuous provision and blessings as a generous provider of benefits in our daily lives. Despite this difference, both translations convey aspects of God's character and His relationship with His people.]
As we turn to Him for help, God alleviates our daily burdens by loading us with daily benefits by giving us His daily GPS – grace, provision and strength:
Daily Grace (2 Corinthians 12:7-9). Paul entreated the Lord three times to remove the thorn in his flesh. Instead, God gave Paul the daily grace that he needs. There are some days we get by only by the grace of God who sustains us each day in our challenging situations. His loving mercies are new everyday and inexhaustible in supply (Lamentations 3:22-23).
Daily Provision (Matthew 6:11; Philippians 4:19). God gives us His daily bread to satisfy our thirst and fills our hunger with good things (Psalm 107:9). He may give us a divine appointment by sending a friend to give us comfort or counsel, send divine provision of resources that we need for our specific circumstances, or perform a divine orchestration by turning our situations around.
Daily Strength (Isaiah 40:31; 2 Corinthians 4:16). God renews our strength daily as we wait upon Him, enabling us to persevere through seemingly insurmountable days. When we are weary, we can rely on His supernatural strength to press on. “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).
These daily GPS will guide us through even the most challenging situations, fulfilling the promise: "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, NLT).
Peace and Grace,
Lam Kok Hiang
Leadership Mentor
“主，拯救我们的 神，是应当称颂的，祂天天背负我们的重担。(细拉)” (诗篇68:19，新译本，下同)。
人的一生跌宕起伏，难免带上不少无形的包袱。这些包袱使人如负重物，时不时化为心理或情绪上的压力，其原由可能是面对未知的担忧害怕，或是过往的创伤。不但如此，我们各自的叛逆及罪疚有可能使某些包袱愈加沉重(诗篇38:4)。
不幸地，这些担子并非背包里的物件，不是说放就能放下的东西。反之，它们日以继夜地侵蚀我们的心思、剥夺睡眠，令人疲惫。
然而，我们若知道 神天天背负我们的重担，就必得安慰。祂了解我们所能承受的(哥林多前书10:13)，祂知道我们负重几何，并且“祂天天背负我们的重担”(诗篇68:19)；如同母亲安慰孩子一切都将好转。
有趣的是，在《新英王欽定本》圣经译本写道：“天天施恩惠给我们的主，就是拯救我们的 神，是应当称颂的。细拉”(诗篇68:19，中文英王欽定本)。
按：诗篇68:19于《新译本》和《欽定本》的不同之处在于着重点。《新译本》阐明 神承担子民的忧患；而《欽定本》强调 神作为供应者，常常赐下恩惠。虽然翻译有所出入，在在都显示 神的属性以及祂顾惜子民。
我们若依靠神， 祂就接过我们的担子、使我们轻省、又加给我们各样好处，比如恩典、供应和力量：
每天的恩典（哥林多后书12:7-9）。保罗曾三次求主除去他肉体上的刺。与其医治保罗， 神反为他留下及时的恩典。如今我们也相仿，有些日子里，我们仅能依靠 神的恩典度日。祂的慈爱怜悯日日更新，永不断绝(耶利米哀歌3:22-23)。
每天的供应（马太福音6:11；腓立比书4:19）。 神赐我们日用的饮食，以解渴补力(诗篇107:9)。祂也可能安排某些亲友安慰激励我们、或供给某方面急需的资源、又或者搭救我们脱离某些困境。
每天的力量（以赛亚书40:31；哥林多后书4:16）。我们若仰望 神，就晓得祂使我们重新得力，足以捱过那些似乎难以跨越的日子。每当我们疲乏无力之时，可以仰赖祂所加给的力量胜过。圣经说：“我靠着那加给我能力的，凡事都能作”(腓立比书4:13)。
靠着 神的恩惠怜悯，我们能度过最艰难的日子；如经上所记：“你要把你的重担卸给耶和华，祂必扶持你；祂永远不会让义人动摇”(诗篇55:22)。
愿您经历 神的平安和恩典，
蓝国贤
会务导师
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