“For He will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help.” Psalm 72:12

Running to and fro with a lot on my mind, I was trying to get things done for my home, the church and both families. I wasn’t grumpy, sad or down. In fact, I felt no sense of failure, overwhelming duty or spirit crushing fatigue. That is until I distinctly heard, “Pick it up!” It was then, when my vision caught sight of the paper cup, that my head dropped, eyes closed and my heart fell! And just that quickly, I knew I was in trouble!

The voice was not audible, but it was loud and clear to me. I have told the story often enough, but I’ll say it again… I hear God! Some folks look at me strange when I say it, while others get jealous. “God talks to YOU?” Yea…I get it! Shocking, right?! He does! But unlike Daniel, Ezekiel or John, He doesn’t give me huge apocalyptic visions to pass on to the masses. “Pick it up,” was what He said. And the 1 lone piece of trash on the ground was what I thought He was referring to. But it wasn’t.

I WAS shocked, but not by His voice. It was my reaction. Like you, I know what it’s like to be VERY busy and overwhelmed! But I thought I was juggling the balls rather well. Trying to please the Master should be an easy thing to realize. One piece of trash was not a huge task, but it was enough to break this camel’s back. It made me recognize that I had been performing instead of relying. It was a strange lesson, but I got it!

Jesus wasn’t telling me to ‘do’ one more thing, He was telling me to STOP! Apparently, without notice, I had run WAY ahead of Him and was doing the things “I” thought were important for HIS work to be successful. But without listening to His instructions first, I became my own foreman!. My internal ‘sigh’ was a sign that I had, unknowingly, changed places with the Master!

Psalm 72 is about Jesus, Messiah, and His Glorious future kingdom. It pretty much describes Him like the Superhero He is. I have needs and afflictions and areas that need a Superhero. He reminded me that He NEVER asks me to do HIS job! Sometimes the most important thing He asks me to do is to Stop and LISTEN. To ‘pick up’ my heavy load, place it in His hands and Let HIM be HIM! Did you know that there are no rewards in Heaven for picking up trash?