Thursday, July 27, 2017

Burdens: Samwise Gamgee...and Jesus (Part II)

Samwise offered to carry Frodo's load when he saw that his friend's exhaustion under it had left him unable to move. But it turned out to be impossible. Most of us rarely get that bad, but when we do...?

Others sometimes help us out...though not always. They may wish they could...but be unable to.  But we shouldn't get discouraged! There is always the One who walks at our side (if we let Him) and is ready to carry our burdens.

          His shoulders are broad enough to handle the heaviest load,
          his arms strong enough to secure the most crushing burden.

"Cast your burden on the LORD (release it) and He will sustain and uphold you..."  (Psalm 55:22)

"Yet it was our grief He bore, our sorrows that weighed Him down."  (Isaiah 53:4)

"Let Him have all your worries and cares, for He is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you."  (I Peter 5:7)
                                        ****************************

Samwise couldn't carry Frodo's burden, but he could carry Frodo himself.  Few of those close to us can carry us.  But, again, we shouldn't get discouraged! The only One capable of lifting us up and carrying us as far as we need Him to is just as present and willing as He was millenia ago when He reminded his people:

"You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagle's wings and brought you to Myself."  (Exodus 19:4)
                                      ********************************

Where does He carry us?  "He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart..."  (Isaiah 10:11)

For how long?  "There you saw how the LORD your God carried you...all the way you went." (Deuteronomy 1:31)
                                   *********************************

Those of us who are "getting on" in age  can delight ourselves in this next verse...and you youngsters can hold the promise in your heart for the future!

                            "Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, 
                                   and I am He who will sustain you. 
                                I have made you and I will carry you;                                                                          I  will sustain you and rescue you."   (Isaiah 46:4)

                                  Thank You, Father, for this promise!     
                                             *********************


(P.S. If you're wondering about Galatians 6:5, "For each one should carry his own load", the meaning is very different. It's saying that we are each responsible for our own conduct.  On the Bible Hub, it is well-explained thusly: Each one of us "must answer directly to God for his actions.  His responsibility cannot be shifted on to others." )


Thursday, July 20, 2017

Burdens: Samwise Gamgee...and Jesus (Part I)

Poor beast!  (Have you ever felt like this?) The load he pulled was so heavy - and lopsided -  he ended up unable to move, unable to do anything to help himself.  There are burdens that can  virtually paralyze.

I am finally getting on my feet after almost two weeks of illness, most of the time spent laying either on my bed or on the sofa.  Since I couldn't do much of anything productive, I watched a number of movies. In the latter part of The Return of the King, I waited for one of my favorite parts.

Frodo and Samwise struggle up the rough, rocky mountainside, both of them exhausted.  Frodo carries a crushing, paralyzing burden  - the Ring -  and cannot keep going.  Samwise knows the ring must be thrown into the volcano, and offers to carry the ring for Frodo, who explains why that simply can't be. So Samwise musters all the strength he has left and says, "Come, Mr. Frodo! I can't carry it for you...but I can carry you!"  Lifting the smaller hobbit, he carries him to the completion of their mission.
                    ********************************************************

St. Paul wrote: "Carry one another's burdens and in this way you will fulfill the requirements of the law of Christ {that is, the law of Christian love}."  (Galatians 6:2, Amplified Bible)*

There are times when, though we would like to "carry another's burdens", we find it impossible...like Samwise did.  He was able to pick up the burden-bearer and continue. But there are times when we simply can't "carry" that person as he/she labors under a heavy burden. What can we do?

There is never "nothing I can do".  There are usually other ways in which we can help, but most importantly, we can always pray...and pray that this person will end up where this short poem ends up!

                                             Falling

                                    I'm falling...falling...
                                    can't keep holding on.
                                    My grip is too weak
                                    and my strength almost gone;

                                    down through miasmas
                                    of fainting and fears;
                                    down through the sandstorms
                                    of turmoil and tears;

                                     grazing the claws
                                     of our Foe's deadly charms;
                                     falling...falling...
                                     right into Your arms!
                                                                                        ---Becky Rhon
                                      **********************

What a wonderful place to end up!  In fact, I think we could say that the troubles and difficulties that affect us can actually be "blessings in disguise" IF the outcome is to fall right into our loving Shepherd's arms!

Yes, He carries us!  The Word of God has many references to God carrying our burdens AND carrying us.  In next week's post, we'll look at some of these beautiful, heartening verses.  Please join me!
                                 
(Here's a "preview".)

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



(*Yes, there's a verse that says each person should shoulder his own load. That's not a contradiction.  We'll look at it next week, OK?)