BURDEN BEARING

In the New Testament, the Holy Spirit uses many different illustrations to indicate to us the privileges, responsibilities, and relationships inherent in being a Christian. One that is thought provoking to me is the illustration of a lady walking down the road under the weight of a heavy burden. Although we live in a highly mechanised age in which most of our physical burdens have been eased, we have all experienced the fatigue of carrying heavy shopping, packages, etc. and have longed for a place to lay our burdens down.

Source

Matthew 11:28 - 29

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

In a Spiritual sense, Christ saw every one of us weighed down with the load of sin that our own iniquities had brought upon us. Therefore, in compassion He came to the world and died to remove the heavy load of sin from all who would come to him in faith and obedience. "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed." (1 Peter 2: 24). What a wonderful blessing it is to have someone offer to take our burden of sin.

There are some responsibilities that we have, however, if Christ is to bear our burdens. In putting our burdens on Christ, he demands that we take His yoke upon us. This means that we must yoke ourselves with Christ through obedience of the gospel and continue through life in reverent submission to Him. Because our sins have been carried, the Lord rightfully expects that we now joyfully bear the yoke of total commitment and dedication to Him and His cause.

Galatians 6: 1 - 5

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden.

Another responsibility involved in being a Christian is that "each man shall bear his own burden," (Galatians 6:5). This means that in addition to bearing the yoke of commitment we have the obligation to carry our own weight among the brethren in serving the Lord. Christ expects, and our brethren have the right to expect that we do our best to grow and mature in the Lord by studying God's word and putting it into practise by activity In the kingdom.

One reason for this growth is so that we can "bear one another’s burdens," (Galatians 6:2). This is seen when we take time to encourage and instruct weaker brothers and sisters. It means being sensitive to needs and thus serving God by helping others on the road to heaven.

Being a Christian means that we have exchanged one load for another. Even the yoke of being a Christian can be difficult. However, when we look back on the futility of our bearing the heavy load of sin and compare that with the future in store for those who bear Christ's yoke, we truly see what the Lord meant in saying, "My yoke is easy and My load is light".

We should ask God for the courage to gladly bear the yoke of commitment to Him and be prepared to bear the burden of others. Amen.