Pleasant Stone Devotional Meditation: November 6

“Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle; your carriages were heavy laden; they are a burden to the weary beast. They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity” ~ Isaiah 46:1-2

“Can we look into the rather unusual depths of this “many-colored stone” and find some of the reason why our Christian service eventually takes us “into captivity”?

Here is a vivid picture of utter exhaustion and weariness. Physical exhaustion comes to everyone now and then, but for this day’s sharing, consider the exhaustion of spirit, mind and soul in some who serve so sincerely. I [Eugenia Price, the author] can witness to periods of such exhaustion in my own life. And from them and through this verse, I have found the reason and the way out for most service-fatigue. Remember, we are not speaking of physical tiredness now. And the soul and spirit weariness of which I write is not limited only to those who work in what we call ”full-time Christian service.” We are called to serve Him whatever our profession, and the same weariness comes over those who work at a secular profession all day and serve actively in their churches at night.

The Holy Spirit has shown me in these verses, that my “idols” are too heavy! Even the “beasts of burden” which I use to carry on my work (the mind God gave me, the talents, etc), are unable to deliver as hey should because of the burden of “idols” I have forced them to bear. Such “Idols” can be anything from ego to self-effort, to pride in my work and misdirected zeal. Zeal to accomplish what I want to be able to tell about instead of zeal simply to obey the Lord when there is nothing to tell. I have found that sometimes He asks me to do nothing but belong to Him. I am overburdening moth the carriages and the cattle. My “idols” are too heavy.

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.”