I once read that in Israel travelers kept a camel they called the committed camel that followed behind their caravan. They packed the saddles so uniquely that it stacked up high upon the camels back. Amazingly, they could literally roll the packed saddle off the camel if needed. Camels carrying heavy loads over long distances that got too tired to continue on were known to buckle at the knees and lay down. This stopped the entire caravan! Imagine leaving your supplies and precious camel behind! When this occurred they brought forward the committed camel and they rolled over the heavy load onto this fresh rested camel! Once the load was lifted the tired camel would rise up and begin walking again allowing the entire envoy to carry on in their journey!

Have you ever felt so loaded that you could not continue in carrying your load? Have you ever felt like the caravan surrounding you is leaving you behind because you are too tired to carry the load you bear? What would you say if I told you that you too have a committed camel in your life? King David understood this concept of rolling over onto God that which burdened him.

In fact, in Psalm 37:5, David suggests to us that if we commit our way to God—literally roll over onto God that heavy saddle we are carrying upon our backs that God will carry it. The hard part for me is that means I must give God my reputation, my journey, and my settled course in life.

Interestingly, this is not a one time event. Just as the camels pack on their back will change depending on the length of the journey or the purpose the burden will alter and the weight change. Committing to God and rolling over onto Him means that I must do this daily and sometimes moment by moment. We must ask ourselves daily, “Have I rolled it over to the committed camel?” Sometimes that is easier said than done!

Think about this for a moment… If I am committing my way to God and allowing Him to carry the load then He must be pleased to carry it. Check out what David later says in Psalm 37:23, “If the LORD delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.”

We must ask ourselves, “Can I walk my journey without stumbling when I carry a heavy load?” I don’t know about you, but I sure can’t! God promises that when He delights in our way then He alone makes our steps firm! In fact, we might still stumble, but He will not let us fall!

I am going to ask you a personal question I ask myself often. Have you truly rolled over your load onto the committed camel? This is simply done through soul talk! Take a moment to visualize if you must you rolling it over onto the Father! Tell Him what is burdening you. Maybe today, you are overwhelmed like I was as I prepared this for a speaking engagement! You know what I had to do? I rolled over! It is so worth it!

Challenge: Our challenge is to not to carry the load!

I like how the Message Bible translation states it.

Open up before GOD, keep nothing back; he'll do whatever needs to be done.
Psalm 37:5/The Message

I love to learn a new truth! I especially love to learn a new truth that applies to the word of God and gives me new insight as I grow in Christ. This morning as I read through 1 Timothy Chapter 2, I stopped on verse 8. It says that men are to lift up their hands in worship without anger or dispute. Shortly, after this it gives a woman's mode of worship expected at that time as well. But as I thought about men and their need to lift up their hands without anger or dispute I wondered why? Why not women? Paul did not have to tell us (women) to lift our hands in worship. Why? Demonstrative behavior typically comes easily for the ladies... not as easily for men!? I wonder... our issue with worship centered upon our adornment-- how shallow is that! But how true for even today! Men still allow anger and dispute within their hearts to stop them from worshiping and women still focus upon their outward appearances more than we should. Then I stumbled across a thought in the Qwest Study Bible that said the reason the hands were lifted centered upon two words: Dependence and trust and then culiminated in one truth... expectancy. The lifting of the hands demonstrated physically to the Father that trust is in Him not the individual! I depend on You-- not me! I expect YOU to answer and my hands are lifted to receive! How powerful is that!

It so ministered to me. See... I am in the process of rewriting one of my Bible Studies titled Redeemed to Praise. I have made a commitment to GOD to fast from requests for a season. So... everytime I begin a natural flow of requests to God I will pause and say a praise instead! Try it! I have done this for a day at a time on different days that I felt that my praise wained, but I have never done it for an undetermined amount of time. I will do this until the rewrite is complete so that my every thought is focused on praise. I am lifting my hands up to GOD trusting HIM! I am dependent upon HIM! I wait with expectancy for HIM to bring about the right answers! His answer is always better anyways! How about you? Are you willing to take my praise challenge? It isn't as easy as you think. Especially, if you prayed and talked to God for years. You will be amazed at how many requests you make in a day. If you decide to do this let me know. I want to keep up with how you are doing too! My husband said, "You need to pray for Him to help you write and teach." I said, "I have done this for years! He knows my heart in this and has heard my prayers. Now I will spend time praising HIM for all the answers HE is sending my way." We lift our Holy hands up! We learn to trust YOU! AMEN!