[338 words]
A lecturer stood before an audience holding a glass of water in in his hand. “How heavy is this glass of water?” the lecturer asked.
Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g.
The lecturer replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you’ll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it’s the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.”
Sin is a burden—heavier than many realize. Heavy enough to cause the death of Christ on a cross. Heavy enough that many times even Christians begin to believe that they can bear the weight. A hymn asks: “Would you be free from the burden of sin? There’s power in the blood, power in the blood.”
Jesus provides a life without the weight of sin!
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV).
“For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness – by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (1 Peter 2:21-25 NKJV).
Jonathan Burns
Findlay church of Christ
Sparta, TN