Lay Down Your Burdens

Lay Down Your Burdens

This is the story of a man named Frank. Frank loved to hike. You could always find Frank hiking the trails through the mountains and hills around Phoenix, Arizona. He could be found hiking no matter what the weather was like. In the scorching heat of the Arizona summers he would hike in the early morning before it was too hot. When it was raining he would dawn his raincoat and out he would go.

Frank spent lots of money for just the right shoes and clothes for hiking. He would always take plenty of water to stay hydrated. He would take morning hikes; he would take evening hikes.

Frank always dreamed of one day hiking Mount Whitney in California. Mount Whitney is the highest mountain peak in the lower 48 contiguous states. His friends were always encouraging him to go for it. After many years Frank finally decided to do it.

Frank spent months training and preparing for this strenuous hike. He read books and blog posts about how to hike the high mountain peaks. He bought everything the books suggested for the hike. He even found people he could Skype with to pick up tips for the hike.

The long anticipated day finally came when he was to hike the mountain of his dreams. He set off on his hike early in the morning before the sun came up. Frank figured he would take his time.

He chose a route that would take him about seven days to hike in and back out. He would camp along the way and enjoy his time alone in God’s great creation.

As he walked the winding trail he met all kinds of interesting people. He soon met up with a man who was friendly and knew the trail well. His name was Lou. Frank had found a friend.

Lou was a bit of a prankster. He noticed Frank would pick up a rock now and then and put it in his backpack as they were hiking. Lou soon figured out he could slip an extra rock into Franks pack without him knowing it.

The morning of the second day started off well and without Frank knowing it, Lou stuck a note onto the back of Frank’s pack that read, “I bet you can’t slip a rock into my pack without me knowing it!”

The challenge was on. Because Frank and Lou were taking their time, other hikers would overtake them and as stealthily as possible they would try their hand at slipping a rock or two into Frank’s pack with him being none the wiser.

This went on for two entire days. Frank didn’t even notice the unusual number of rock accumulating in his backpack. The only thing Frank noticed was he was getting fatigued more than he had anticipated, but he pressed on.

The morning finally came when the two men were going to ascend to the summit. They got up early and started the trek to the top of the mountain. The destination was in sight and they figured they would reach their destination by noon.

The higher they climbed the wearier Frank became. Lou would walk on ahead of Frank and rest while his traveling companion struggled with every step.

Frank could finally go no further. He collapsed under the weight of the load he was carrying. He couldn’t make it to the top. He was exhausted. He faltered so close to the top of the mountain.

As Frank sat there completely spent and discouraged, Lou walked right by him laughing. He was heading back down the mountain in search of his next victim.

Frank’s story does not end with him sitting by the trail defeated, you see, another man came by. His name was Joshua.

Joshua looked upon Frank with compassion. He opened Frank’s backpack and started taking out the rocks, even the rocks Frank himself had picked up along the way. 

Joshua tenderly asked him why he carried these rocks. Frank didn’t have a good answer. As Joshua gave him water to drink, cast the weights aside, and said, "You don't have to carry that burden anymore. I'll carry your burdens."

Joshua picked up Frank's backpack and put it on his own back. He helped Frank to his feet and then carried him to the summit.

Let me introduce the characters to you:

• The Rocks – That's the things we pick up along life's journey. Things such as: Hurts caused by others; Hurts we have caused others; Abuse; Forgiveness withheld; Bitterness; Sin; Habits; Materialism; Idols of all sorts; Etc. Your list of rocks will vary from mine.
• Frank – That is me. I pick up rocks and put them in my pack.
• Frank is you as well. You pick up rocks and put them in your backpack just like I do.
• Lou – That is Lucifer. He is not a friend. He is an enemy. He will put rocks in your backpack. He wants to slow you down or even get you to quit altogether.
• Joshua – That’s Jesus. He wants to help you purge your pack. He will help you reach the summit.

Hebrews 12:1-2   Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne on God.^[1]

Let Jesus take your story and make it His story.

Adapted from my message which can be accessed by clicking this link: Lay Down Your Burdens 

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^[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Heb 12:1–2.

Take My Hand, Everything's OK

Last night Denice and I went to the Arizona Diamondbacks baseball game with another couple. We had a nice dinner and came into the ballpark during the second inning. We glided up the escalator to the  upper deck. As we walked towards the doors we saw something I found very disturbing.

A man was trying to lead his son down the escalator. The little boy appeared to be about two years old. Each of them had a cup of soda in one hand and the father started down the moving stairway as his son stood at the top trying to figure out how this strange thing worked. I would start to step onto a step but then it would move away before he had time to get his tiny feet to move. The father finally walked back upstream where he took his son by the hand and the two went down the staircase, hand in hand. That's all the little fellow needed, his father's guiding hand.

When they were about half way down the escalator, a little girl walked up to the top of the escalator with a cup of soda in her left hand and the cutest little pink splint on her right hand. She was around four years of age. Just like her little brother, she was not familiar with the escalator. She kept trying to step aboard to get down to her father, but he kept moving farther and father away. She looked very distressed because she was too afraid to step unto the escalator and her father wasn't there to help her.

I ran over to this precious little girl and held my hand out to her. I asked her if she wanted to hold my hand and I would help her ride the escalator. She shook her head and raised her little pink splint towards my hand. I took her hand in mine and we stepped onto the escalator together.

Finally she was on her way down to her father. As we were gliding down the stairway I asked her what happened to her arm. She said, "I bwoke it!" She was the cutest little thing. I delivered her safely to her waiting father and she was happy once again.

That made me think about how we come up to times where we are afraid to take the next step and we are in need of our Father's hand. Unlike that father who was not there for his daughter, Hebrews 13:5 tells us Jesus said He would never desert us nor would He ever forsake us. As we are walking through life, sometimes we separate ourselves from Him but whenever we reach up to Him He is always there to take our hand and help us take that next step into the unknown.

Instead of pulling your hand away from your Father and going off your own way, how about holding tightly to the Father's hand and let Him guide you through this life. Unlike our earthly father, who have probably let us down and not been there when we needed them, our heavenly Father is always there for us. Just raise your hands and look up. He is always there waiting for us to reach up to Him.