Genesis 11:1 Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. ² And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. ³ And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. ⁴ Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” ⁵ The Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built. ⁶ And the Lord said, “Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. ⁷ Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” ⁸ So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. ⁹ Therefore it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth. 

In this passage human beings are at it again. Adam and Eve got in trouble because they ate the forbidden fruit thinking it would make them like God – knowing good and evil. It was a rebellion against their place in God’s created order, for which they were thrown out of the Garden of Eden (Genesis chapter 3). Here we see people attempting to subvert God’s created order once more by building a structure to invade the heavens – the place where God and heavenly beings dwell. People weren’t created to invade heaven, but to live upon the earth to care for it as God commanded. Strike two.

The question I’ve been asking myself this morning is, “Where am I rebelling against God’s created order, trying to occupy space that belongs to God?” I think for me the temptation is to carry burdens that actually belong to God. As a husband and father I have concern for the care of my wife and children. As an oldest son I have concern for the care of my mother and father, both still living. As the senior leader of a church I have concern for the care of the congregation. Then, in the midst of it all, there’s concern for my own well-being. It’s a lot.

I don’t want to suggest that I alone seek to fulfill these obligations of care. There are many people who partner with me in this work. But the load of care has been high for two years now, with no end in sight. It can be overwhelming as I know many of you reading this blog understand. You’re feeling it as well. We weren’t created to bear these burdens, but our God is.

Dear Lord, give me grace to stay connected and empathetic for those in my care while casting the burden for outcomes upon you. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.