Beast of Burden Ill never be your beast of burden, my back is broad, but its a hurtin ~ The Rolling Stones (yes I am that old ;) ) Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls..For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. ~ Jesus (Matthew 11:29-30) Galatians 6:3 tells us to bear one anothers burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. Bearing each others burdens means helping to carry the load, not to shoulder not just ours but everyone elses too. To forgive does not mean that we are to accept responsibility that is not ours to accept. To forgive is to not let the actions of another dictate your life. To forgive is to let God handle it His Way. Oh I know, much easier said than done. We all make mistakes (Personally I think I have it down to an art form by now). But if we confess, He is faithful and just to forgive our iniquity and cleanse us of our sin. (1 John 1:9) But there are those who are like the Pharisees who tie up heavy burdens and lay them on mens shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger (Matthew 23:4). They want everyone else to bear their burdens for them and that is not okay. We all sin differently, and we all extend grace differently. Extending grace is not picking up everyone elses refuse. Extending grace means bearing with someone but also respecting the needs or request of another person. The Bible encourages us to set up boundaries to prevent these things from happening. Galatians 6:5 clearly states that we are to bear our own load. We each have our won corss to bear and that is more than enough. But whereas there are those who try to push off their burden on someone else, on the flip side of the coin there are those who try to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. What we all tend to forget is that Jesus carried the weight of the world and of our sin on His Shoulders as He carried that cross all the way to Calvary. We are to leave any unnecessary burdens, up to and including offense, at the foot of the cross. Again, I know, easier said than done. One would think it would be so simple to leave our burdens there but more often than not we insist on carrying them. Or give them to God and then take them back as if we can do a better job of handling them than He can. Personally I know I have to give things over to Him.... over....and over...and over.... until eventually there is nothing left for me to hold on to. Then and only then am I truly free. Leviticus 16:20 speaks of the scapegoat that carried off the sins of the people on the Day of Atonement. Two goats were brought before Aaron, One was slaughtered for the sins of the people along with a bull and their blood was sprinkled on the altar. Leviticus 16:21-22 He is to lay both hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the wickedness and rebellion of the Israelites—all their sins—and put them on the goat’s head. He shall send the goat away into the wilderness in the care of someone appointed for the task. The goat will carry on itself all their sins to a remote place; and the man shall release it in the wilderness. The scapegoat to the Israelite was what Jesus Christ is to followers of Him. That goats life was spared, but what a burden to have to carry. To carry all the sins of all the people out into the wilderness. The major difference between Jesus and that goat is that whereas the blood of goats and bulls only covered the sin and the scapegoat carried sin from the people, the sinless Blood of Christ completely eradicated that sin for us. There is no true atonement for sin without the shedding of blood. Which is how we are made clean (Isaiah 1:18) When God says, come let us reason the matter, He is in no way, shape or form compromising with us. As far as He is concerned, the matter is settled. He is letting us know in NO uncertain terms that our sins are as scarlet, no matter how good we think we are.But He offers a solution if we are willing to accept it. He will make our scarlet sin white as snow, if we allow ourselves to be washed in the Blood. Imagine that . Scarlet washing clean scarlet. Only one drop of His Blood would have sufficed to eradicate sin but our God is an extravagant God indeed. He didnt shed just one Drop. He shed ALL of it for us. So that not one would perish. So that no one is without excuse. Because of this extravagant Gift, we no longer need a scapegoat, or need to be a scapegoat for anyone. We no longer need to be beasts of burden. Jesus Christ was the Ultimate Burden Bearer. And He did it but once for all of us. He will not be doing that ever again. His precious, horrific Suffering and Death put death in its grave for eternity. So what is stopping you from walking in freedom. We dont have to be and never will be hard enough, rough enough, rich enough (quoting Mick Jagger) or good enough to EVER deserve salvation. Its all about violent, extravagant grace, plain and simple. Unmerited favor, plain and simple. Nothing to do with us and everything to do with HIM. What are you waiting for? A gilt edged invitation? Dont hold your breath. His invitation is Hand-written in Blood for whosoever may come. And that includes you. I dont care how hardened of a sinner you think you are. You are not so bad that you cannot be washed clean of your scarlet sin by the scarlet Flow of Blood from His Hands and Feet and the Water that gushed from His Side. Only thing is that no one can ask Him to save you but you. You have to be willing to come to the foot of the Cross and ask Him to save you. And let that scarlet Rush wash you clean of your scarlet sin. ~God loves you and so do I~
Posted on: Sat, 15 Nov 2014 20:17:10 +0000