"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (NIV)
Matthew 11:28
As beautiful as the unexpected gift was last Sunday with weather in the fifties, we were gently reminded that it is still winter in New Hampshire this Friday as snow quickly pushed through the area. We celebrated that gift as well, as the snow came through fast and left a cover of white on everything. When I headed out early Saturday morning, I couldn't help but notice the snow on the trees - it certainly seemed like a winter wonderland! Yet, the snow weighed down the branches on the trees, the burden of the snow almost breaking the branches. We also have had other storms that have lasted days, and the accumulation of the snow also weighed heavily on the branches of these beautiful trees.
I couldn't help but think of times in my life when a storm came through and the burden of that storm fell strongly on my shoulders. It was a fast moving storm and dumped a bunch of "snow" in my life. As I remember those times, my life was changed forever. The day I was diagnosed with cancer. The day my dad passed away. Those were times when I felt an incredible burden that came from a very quick scenario, just like the storm this past Friday.
Then there were times that were longer storms. Times in my life that the "snow" accumulated and left a huge burden. A difficult job project, tough times with the children, a problematic first marriage. All of these scenarios, as well as others, seemed to build up the burden that I needed to deal with. It seemed as if brick upon brick was being laid upon my life, and it was hard to get out from underneath all the weight of those burdens.
Whether the burden is quick or long in coming, when burdens hit our lives, we feel as if we can't move forward. During those times, I found it difficult to wake up the next day and continue to live life. The burden can seem so strong that we feel as if we are going to break - life the branches on the trees laden with snow. Yet, as our verse of today tells us (and one of my favorite verses), there is someone who WANTS our burdens, someone who ASKS us to bring our burdens to him, our Dear Savior Jesus. He is there for us, no matter what the burden is.
When we bring our burdens to Jesus, He is able to give us the rest we so desperately need. He can provide us comfort in despair, peace in conflict, healing when sick, and hope when defeated. He is the great, "I AM". When I take my burdens to Jesus, he gives me the strength to get out of bed, to live another day, to move forward. Have you ever had that kind of burden? Maybe you are experiencing it now. Take your burdens to Jesus - give Him your troubles. Tell Him what your heart feels - let Him bring you peace and comfort. He will take your burden from you so that you can see the Son!
"Dearest Jesus, help us to come to you and give you our burdens. So many times we want to keep those burdens as we believe we can fix them. Yet, the longer we keep our burdens, we bend until we break. We know that you can handle it Jesus. We know that you can give us the rest we so very much need. May we lay our burdens at your feet and find the rest you want your children to have. Thank you, Jesus, for bringing us strength, hope and love.
I couldn't help but think of times in my life when a storm came through and the burden of that storm fell strongly on my shoulders. It was a fast moving storm and dumped a bunch of "snow" in my life. As I remember those times, my life was changed forever. The day I was diagnosed with cancer. The day my dad passed away. Those were times when I felt an incredible burden that came from a very quick scenario, just like the storm this past Friday.
Then there were times that were longer storms. Times in my life that the "snow" accumulated and left a huge burden. A difficult job project, tough times with the children, a problematic first marriage. All of these scenarios, as well as others, seemed to build up the burden that I needed to deal with. It seemed as if brick upon brick was being laid upon my life, and it was hard to get out from underneath all the weight of those burdens.
Whether the burden is quick or long in coming, when burdens hit our lives, we feel as if we can't move forward. During those times, I found it difficult to wake up the next day and continue to live life. The burden can seem so strong that we feel as if we are going to break - life the branches on the trees laden with snow. Yet, as our verse of today tells us (and one of my favorite verses), there is someone who WANTS our burdens, someone who ASKS us to bring our burdens to him, our Dear Savior Jesus. He is there for us, no matter what the burden is.
When we bring our burdens to Jesus, He is able to give us the rest we so desperately need. He can provide us comfort in despair, peace in conflict, healing when sick, and hope when defeated. He is the great, "I AM". When I take my burdens to Jesus, he gives me the strength to get out of bed, to live another day, to move forward. Have you ever had that kind of burden? Maybe you are experiencing it now. Take your burdens to Jesus - give Him your troubles. Tell Him what your heart feels - let Him bring you peace and comfort. He will take your burden from you so that you can see the Son!
"Dearest Jesus, help us to come to you and give you our burdens. So many times we want to keep those burdens as we believe we can fix them. Yet, the longer we keep our burdens, we bend until we break. We know that you can handle it Jesus. We know that you can give us the rest we so very much need. May we lay our burdens at your feet and find the rest you want your children to have. Thank you, Jesus, for bringing us strength, hope and love.
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