Carried

“They were to carry on their shoulders the holy things,
For which they were responsible.”
~Numbers 7:9

“They shall bring your sons in their arms,
And thy daughters shall be carried upon thy shoulders.”
~Isaiah 49:22

There is the well-known poem, “Footprints in the Sand” by Mary Stevenson, the setting in which the author dreamed of walking on the beach with the Lord. Scenes from her life passed by her, accompanied by sets of footprints; however, she was troubled that she saw only one set of footprints when life was the most difficult. The Lord’s response?

 “The times when you have seen only one set of footprints is when I carried you.”

This powerful imagery of the Lord carrying us is seen in Numbers 7:9. The Kohathites were part of the Levitical tribe, which means they helped care for and carry the vessels of the Tabernacle, such as the Ark of the Covenant, through the Wilderness. As the objects they carried were holy, great reverence was required of them as they handled the holy things. Do you see the connection? He carries us as holy vessels when we are riding out the storms in our lives. Imagine being carried on the shoulders of our Most High God. Imagine Him bearing the responsibilities that you are shouldering in your life right now.

The other beautiful thing about being carried is our position. When we allow ourselves to be carried, we are closer to hearing His voice. We can lean in to listen to what He speaks over us though we be in the midst of confusion or despair.

In Raising Giants, Bill Johnson exhorts us that “The enemy always tries to make us more aware of our problems than of the solutions we carry” (p.20). And here’s the great thing:  If we are allowing ourselves to be carried and are more aware of our proximity to the Father, not only is He the one carrying us and our burden, but we have access to the solutions right now! One of those solutions always stays constant:  being in the presence of the Father who carries us amid the chaos and brokenness. Psalm 119:165 exhorts us that when we are enthralled with the Papa who carries us, “nothing can make them stumble.” Psalm 55:22 reminds us to “Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you.”

Picture yourself as that precious little girl or little boy who is being carried by a good father, ear to ear, nestled in close. The Kohathites are a model of how He now reverently cares for you, handling you with love and honor. His intentions for you in this moment are good. He carries you in this season.

“I will feel no fear; I know that you are near. My help comes from You; You’re right here, pulling me through. You carry my weakness, my sickness, my brokenness all on your shoulders.”
~For King and Country

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

~1 Peter 5:7

About the author

Deborah Ann Custer is a homeschool mom who cultivates life in the southwest corner of Wisconsin. Deborah Ann is living her dream with her family by keeping up with laundry, dishes, giving piano and voice lessons, accompanying choirs, and pitching in with local theater productions. She loves cross country skiing through snow dusted trails, sunlight filtering in through her window during the quiet, early morning hours, and camping with her family. She and her husband have been leading worship at their church for over twenty years.