Burdened no more

by Kristen Koepsell

Recently I read about a woman who hiked the Appalachian Trail in 1950. Modern long-distance hikers disagree whether more or less gear is best. Imagine hiking with someone there only to carry your stuff. You don’t have to carry anything. No rubbing straps, sore shoulders, pressured spine, tired body from the extra weight, regret of every unnecessary thing packed. …

That is us. We carry nothing. We walk free and tall, with light step and heart, because our Savior daily bears our burdens.

What’s weighing you down today? If you hefted a backpack that held one rock for every concern on your heart, what would those rocks be? May I share mine? I’m responsible for 171 kids and 87 volunteers next week at VBS, and the task list is outpacing the hours left. My online class requires three revised devotions and one brand-new by Saturday. My brother and sister-in-law just changed states without job plans. My best friend cries because her marriage is cracking. My mother is diabetic. Bible camp might be cancelled due to lack of interest. Two Sunday school teachers just quit.  The refrigerator is nearly empty.  My Bible reading is nonexistent.  One of my turn signals is out.  And I’m still single.

Two things answer this weight.

• One, Jesus shouldered our sin for us, the root of human burdens. When I cry, “My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear,” (Psalm 38:4), the Holy Spirit answers, “He himself bore [your] sins in his body on the cross.” (1 Peter 2:24). Every day as we collect more burdens of sin, Jesus says, “No, I’ll take that. That one’s mine, and that one….” 
• Two, he does not carry only our sin, leaving us to carry the “smaller” issues. He doesn’t say, “I’ll take care of Mom but you have to handle VBS.” The God who sees a sparrow fall and counts our very hairs also shoulders every one of our day-to-day concerns. “Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens” (Psalm 68:19).

I pray that each day you can praise God your Savior, living with light heart and mind. He is carrying the weight. You are burdened no more. 

Then use his strength to assist others, to carry each other’s burdens when you can (cf. Galatians 6:2), but ultimately to extend the invitation:  “Come to [him], you who are…burdened, and he will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Kristen wrote this devotion earlier this summer
in connection with a course on Devotional Writing
offered through MLC Continuing Education.