Lent Day 29 -Lightening the Load
I had just arrived to pick up our two youngest grandchildren from afterschool care and needed to ensure we had everything. Two large backpacks? Tick. Two lunch boxes? Tick. Two water bottles? Tick. Two jumpers? Tick. Two pairs of shoes and socks? Well . . . almost. Only one pair of socks missing this time around – not too bad. Two children signed out? Tick. So off we headed to the car.
I managed to get everything in safely, children included, and drove off. A few minutes later, we were home. I proceeded to collect my own bags, get out of the car, undo our 3-year-old grandson’s seat harness, steer him onto the footpath, then inspire him to stand still while I put his bag on his back.
‘What a help you are to me today!’ I told him as he obliged.
Then it was our granddaughter’s turn to be extricated from her car seat. I decided she could walk the short distance to their apartment so went to pick up both her bag and mine and hold her hand. But she was having none of it. At 18 months, she managed to convey to me in no uncertain terms that she wanted to carry her own backpack, thank you very much. The only trouble was it was about as big as she was and also rather heavy.
For a few moments, she managed to stand more or less upright, then – thump – over she went backwards. It would have been funny if it had not been just that little bit cruel. At that point, I tried to take her bag off her, but she was still determined to refuse my offer. Instead, she hung on to it for dear life and yelled loudly. All I could do was walk along slowly beside her, trying to steady her and help when she fell over backwards yet again.
As I thought about this later, I began to wonder how many times I have done something similar in my own adult life. How often have I tried to carry a big, figurative backpack that was far too heavy for me? How often have I rejected help, wanting to do it all by myself? How often have I turned a deaf ear to God’s gentle voice, showing me a better way forward, offering me a much lighter load to carry? How often have I worried and stressed too much over things when God was right there to ease my burden?
I wonder whether, right now, some of you might be needing to get rid of some heavy load that is causing you to struggle and stumble. Is it time for you to take Jesus’ outstretched hand and allow him to help you move forward in his strength rather than in your own?
May your load soon be much lighter as you journey on with Jesus – and may you and I carry no more and no less than what he gives us to carry.
Taken from God Moments by Jo-Anne Berthelsen
Does your life seem too ordinary to include moments where God breaks in?
God Moments shows why even the most seemingly ordinary life experiences can reveal God’s riches if only we would stop and notice. Based on her personal experiences, Jo-Anne Berthelsen shares how apparently mundane scenes or events in daily life have created unexpected ‘God moments’.
Grounded in Scripture, the 101 uplifting devotions in God Moments encourage us to open our hearts to our extraordinary God and look for him amid our own ordinary routines.
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. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:28–30