January 15, 2004

THE BURDEN BEARER

"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens" (Psalms 68:19, NIV).

Through this portrait of Jesus, the psalmist, in a thanksgiving mood, praises God because He "daily bears our burdens." Here he expresses the relief that comes to those who trustingly come to Christ as the one and only burden bearer. The refreshing good news is that no one needs to continue struggling under the oppressive burden of sin and its debilitating consequences. By His death on the cross, Christ became the sin bearer of the whole world.

There is a humorous anecdote told of a man on his way to the town market with a basket full of produce on his head. Traveling in the same direction, a kind farmer stopped his wagon and offered the burdened traveler a ride. As they went along, the farmer noticed to his utter surprise that the man was carrying the load on his lap. "Why don't you rest the load in the wagon?" inquired the farmer.

Apologetically, the old man replied, "Sir, I don't think your horse should carry all the load!"

This anecdote may be apocryphal, but it makes the point. There is nothing we can do of ourselves to earn or deserve eternal life. Jesus is the one and only burden bearer. "You cannot burden Him; you cannot weary Him... His heart of love is touched by our sorrows... Take to Him everything that perplexes the mind. Nothing is too great for Him to bear, for He holds up worlds, He rules over all the affairs of the universe... There is no perplexity too difficult for Him to unravel."--Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 2, pp. 480, 481.

There is no need to go through life staggering under the burden of sin and guilt when Christ has lifted the load on Calvary. When you get on the salvation wagon, unload your burden and never take it up again. "Many come to the Lord... and they never really lay their burden upon Him... You are not to do this, Leave your burden there, leave it with the Burden-bearer, He has promised to take it."--Review and Herald, April 19, 1870.

My Prayer Today: Lord, I thank You that You are my all-sufficient burden bearer. I rest the full weight of my burdens upon Your strong shoulders. Amen!