By the way, this is, once again, about Bingley. Sorry, but what can I say? Just as God coaches and reveals Himself to us through our children--far more than we train them, I might add--right now the good Lord keeps teaching me through our little black lab puppy. Our Heavenly Father uses all kinds of things, doesn't He, to come alongside us, His sometimes slow, thick-headed learners.
So back to the moment. It was--where else?--on the greenway. Bingley, the consummate stick aficionado, found the ultimate--and I mean ultimate--stick. Or maybe I should call it a branch. Well, maybe a log. Here he is, running freely and happily, sniffing and darting and generally having a big old time…until he's simply got to pick up and carry this thick, heavy, long branch.
"Bingley," I yelled, "that's simply too much. Drop that stick!"
All to no avail. Bingley insisted on dragging that log down the greenway…only now he wasn't running and skipping. He was just barely trudging along. Doggedly (no pun intended) and determinedly, he kept on dragging it slowly down the path. His head was tilted straight up in the air--the only way he could heft all that bulk off the ground. His neck was wrenched uncomfortably around to the right, pulled by the weight of his burden. But, boy, he kept going…determined to carry his unwieldy load all the way home.
But after a minute or two, he starting crying. Seriously, he looked at me with dejected eyes--even while still trudging along--and started whimpering. Such a sad, pathetic sound. I could almost hear him whisper, "This is too much."
And I simply looked at him and said, "Bingley, drop it! Lay that down!"
Lay that burden down.
That's what immediately came to mind--almost as if the Lord was speaking right then. Compassionately, lovingly, but strongly commanding us to lay our burdens down.
For that's why He came--to bear our burdens. The burden of our sin. The burden of our shame. The burden of our worry. The burden of our failures. The burden of all our "what if's" and "why didn't I's" and "they shouldn't have's" and "if only I could do it over again's" and "that can't be forgiven's." All the terrible, depressing, joy-stealing, strength-sapping burdens we try to shoulder.
And here's what He would say to you, to me. "Lay it down. Lay that burden down. Let me carry it for you, my child, so that you might live the abundant, joyful, eternal life I died to give you."
Lay that burden down. "Casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you." (I Pet.5:7)
Lay that burden down. "Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never permit the righteous to be moved." (Ps.55:22)
Lay that burden down. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." (Phil.4:6)
Lay that burden down. "And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." (Phil.4:19)
Lay that burden down. "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Mt.11:28-30)
No one told you to pick it up, did they? No one commanded you to carry it…weighing you down like an albatross about your neck. The unbearable weight of all that bitterness. That fretting. That refusal to forgive--not just others, but yourself. That selfishness and pride. That stifling worry. That strangling regret.
Lay
that
burden
down.
And when you forget…or your faith stumbles…or your flesh fails and you pick up that ugly old burden again, just go back to the Savior. Go back to the cross and lay it down again…and…again...and again at His nail pierced feet. He bids you come, hand it to Him and find rest and refreshment and redemption.
"Here it is, once more, Lord Jesus. It's too much for me…but it's not mine to carry. I give it to You. Thank You for always bearing our every burden…and bearing it in the victory You won at the cross. And thank You for the divine exchange. We hand You our sins; You give us Your salvation. We hand You our failures; You give us Your forgiveness. We hand You our burdens--You give us Your rest, Your peace, Your joy, Your hope."
But we have to choose to lay those burdens down.
And Mr. Bingley? Well, he listened to my command. He lay that unbearable burden down…and ran happily down the path. Joyfully sniffing and jumping and trotting and barking as God meant him to do. As God created him to do.
Might we this day lay our burdens down...and discover the freedom, grace, and joy only Christ can give. He's waiting.
To God be the glory.
I think it is wonderful that God gives us simple reminder of his leadership through things we love, like our pets. Thanks so much for sharing. Kel
ReplyDeleteAmen! He's always teaching and leading us, isn't He? So thankful. Thanks, Kelly! love, em
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