Thankful for the Burden-Bearer

      Can I add one more thing about burdens?
      Burdens are meant to be laid down.  Not carried, but laid down.
      Does that sound counter-intuitive?  Probably...but still, isn't the Kingdom of God "a topsy-turvy kingdom," as Josh McDowell, once put it?  The last shall be first.  To gain your life, you need to lose it.  Forgive your enemies.  Be slow to speak and quick to listen (what a challenge to us talkers!).  Seek first God's Kingdom and all the other things will be added to you.  Not to mention the ultimate shocker--Almighty God...born as a helpless infant.  Or the glorious Creator and Sustainer of the universe taking on the role of the most menial of servants and washing dirty feet.
      Yes, God's Kingdom is, indeed, topsy-turvy.  And now, how about adding one more to that list: burdens are not for carrying...but for laying down. Let me explain.
      Burdens--we ALL have them.  But we also have a Burden-Bearer who is ready, willing, and infinitely able to carry the weight of that oppressive load for us. That doesn't mean those burdens go away.  It simply means on a moment-by-moment basis, we stop, and like little children cry out, "Abba, this is too much for me.  Will You carry it for me?"
      And He will.  He always always always will.
      The enemy shouts at us to shoulder that load all by ourselves.  Or blame someone else and try to force it's bulk upon others.  But Jesus says, "Come to Me.  Get away with Me and you'll recover your life.  I'll show you how to take a real rest.  Walk with Me and work with Me--watch how I do it.  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.  I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.  Keep company with Me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (Mt.11:29-30  The Message).
      Lay that burden down and hand it to the Burden-Bearer.
      And you know, we may do that for a time.  We might relinquish that burden to our Savior for a while...
      Until that burden of grief or shame or fear or inadequacy or sorrow seems to shout at us.  Demanding that we stumble back over and heft it's weight back upon our already sagging shoulders...dragging it along again.  And so we stagger along, desperately hauling what we were never meant to bear.
      All the while, the Burden-Bearer says, "Come to Me.  Let me carry it.  I've stretched out My arms wide as the world so that I can fully bear the weight of your every burden.  Give it to Me that I might give you My full forgiveness, My perfect peace, My consoling grace even in the midst of whatever valleys you are walking through.  I'm walking with you...but I'll carry the burden."
      Oh Father, teach us how to lay our burdens down that You might bear their heaviness for us.
      Every time I think of hefting the weight of burdens, I picture Bingley...and his sticks.
      Sometimes when no one is around on the greenway, I'll let him off his leash (please don't report me).  And he takes off...literally.  Like he's been shot out of a canon.  Bingley loves, loves, loves to rip and run.  Chase after squirrels (heaven help us if he ever catches one).  Tear about in huge, happy circles, racing with joyful abandon.  If dogs could smile, well, that's exactly what Mr. B would be doing--a giant, slobbery, open-mouthed smile on his face.  It's such a picture of joyful, flat-out freedom and happiness.
      That is, until Bingley sees a stick.  Let me correct that--a log.  He'll be running and racing, pausing every now and then for a good sniff, when he spots that log.  And he can't help himself, he has to pick it up.  Here are a few just from the last couple of days.

      As soon as he picks up those burdens, no more happy running.  No more sniffing.  No more chasing squirrels.  Bingley just doggedly (excuse the pun) hauls that load down the greenway.  Laboring along at a slow, steady trot.  Every now and then he'll drop it, look at me as if to say, "How much further do I need to bear this load?" and then, with determination, or maybe even resignation, grab it again to bear it's weight.
      I often find myself shouting at him, "Bingley, that's too much!  Too big.  Drop it!  Drop it!"  But he rarely does.  He simply keeps drudging down the greenway, bearing a burden he never ever had to carry in the first place.  And missing out on those few moments of joyful, full-out freedom he could be enjoying.  Missing out of that gift of chasing and racing that God created him to savor...all so Mr. B can carry some ridiculously humongous stick down the path.
      Sure, it's a silly example.  And Mr. Bingley, well, truth be told, I think he loves those sticks...or logs.
      But how about us?  What burdens do we insist on bearing and wearing like those ponderous chains that wrapped about the legs of Jacob Marley?
      Stop bearing those burdens that Jesus died to carry for you.  He is your Burden-Bearer.  He's ready and waiting...come to Jesus and lay those burdens down.  Then go out and live as one who is restored, redeemed and revived by the Burden-Bearer.  And be thankful.
      Thank You, thank You, thank You, Lord Jesus, for being our Burden-Bearer.  To God be the glory.