Casting Every Burden

Walking down the long road, from where he was to where he was going, a lone slave made his journey. He was determined to finish the course, to make his way home. He had been a pilgrim in this weary land for far too long. It seemed like many years, more than he could remember, that he was placed here, under the care of a ruthless master who had no care for him– even whether he lived or died. He wasn’t mistreated too badly. In fact, many would say that he had it well off. He was provided for, it seemed, but much was missing from his life.

It was at that point in time that a woman stepped into his life which pointed him to a kind, gentle master, who had his eye on him the whole time. That master was gracious and had prepared the way for the servant to join him, all he had to do was believe.

So, the servant was now following where his faith led. It was to a destination that he’d only heard stories about when people passed his way. Few had ever been there and returned, and who blamed them! From what the servant heard, you’d be crazy to want to come back. The path was difficult, the journey tough. There were many pitfalls, and it was impossible to tell if he was making any progress toward home or not, or when he would get there.
This one day, another servant of his former master caught up with him, and started to talk to him about what had transpired.

“So, you’re on your way to your new home.”

“That’s right.”

“You know, I hear that it’s a long way off. Are you sure that you wouldn’t like to take a break and get a drink of water or something?”

“Well, I am kinda thirsty.” With that, the servant stops. He goes totake a glass of water, but as he nears it, and brings it to his lips, he throws the water down. “I can’t drink this! I’m on a mission!”

A little further down the road, there is a great gulf that seems to go for miles. It’s right in the way of the path. The servant isn’t sure if he can climb down the cliff or even go the distance. The former servant returns to his side. “So, how come your new master leads you to cliffs that you cannot cross. You’d think that He’d at least have a swinging bridge here or something!”

“That is a little strange. It seems that this whole path is difficult!”

“Well, no need to hurry, you can just sit here for a while– there’s a nice tree over here,” points out the other servant.

“That does look nice and cool.” He starts to head over to the tree, but realizes that he has to conquer the gap, and it’s still going to be there when he gets up. It has to be now. So, he gets up and starts to cross.

A few miles later, the former servant appears with a big truck. “Are you here to offer me a ride?”

“Nope,” grins the former servant, “you forgot a few things.” Getting out of the truck, the other servant takes the tarp off of the truck to reveal a bunch of items, pictures, tokens, and things that remind the servant of who he was, of the mistakes he made. In fact, there’s even a picture there of the water and the gap.

“What’s this?”

“These are things that you left behind. You have to take these with you!”

“No! I have all I need.” Yet he finds himself, one by one, taking things from the truck and examining them. Before he puts them in his bag and continues, he looks up. Thinking of his master, he drops them to the ground, pulls out a piece of paper, and writes something to remember– about his master, where he was, and the deceitful ways of a by gone time.

Christian, you’re on a mission. Don’t let yourself get distracted. Don’t let the things of this world tempt you. And, most importantly, don’t let Satan have you take back upon yourself the burden of sins confessed. They were laid on Christ. “Take my yoke upon you… for m yoke is easy and my burden is light.” This is what Christ says, happy are we if we do it!