Carried Away
Galatians 6:2 (NIV)
2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Good morning!
Whenever my four-year old grandson Joshua comes to visit, he greets me in the most amazing way. Joshua runs as fast as he can and jumps right up into my open arms. Wrapping himself around me like a little teddy bear, he gives me one of the biggest hugs ever. Our two-year old granddaughter Emily loves to be carried. She doesn’t jump up like Joshua, but raises her arms to be picked up. She will bury her head on my shoulder, and pat my back with her hands. Emily loves to be held, especially when she gets sleepy.
It takes a strong back to carry little ones around. As a grandparent, I always ask for a little extra strength when I’m with my grandbabies. Do you remember what it is like to be carried by your grandparent? Being held in the arms of my grandmother brought great comfort and peace to my heart, especially when I was sad or hurting, and needed to receive just a little extra encouragement.
In May of 1979, Jeff and I were attending a church picnic outside on the lawn, sampling the culinary delights of our Texas United Methodist Women. It was homecoming weekend, and folks had traveled from far away to attend worship, have a picnic, and decorate the graves of their loved ones in the cemetery behind the church. I was due to deliver our daughter Rachel within a couple of weeks. While walking across the grass, I accidentally stepped into a small hole and fell head over heels to the ground. It was not one of my more graceful moves. Two men ran across the church yard to help me up. I was very embarrassed, but grateful for their immediate assistance. They picked me up and carried me to a lawn chair, where I sat down to rest. I was very lucky that day, and I found myself forever grateful to the two gentlemen who did not hesitate to help pick me up.
When Jesus came into my life, He picked me up, held me close to His heart, and set my feet back on solid ground. He carried my sin all the way to Calvary, and died to set me free forever! The Apostle Paul said that when we carry each other’s burdens, we are fulfilling the law of Christ. We imitate our Lord by reaching out in faith, offering to carry each other through the difficult times of life.
If you have been set free today, then praise the Lord, who lifts you up, holds you close, and will never let go. His gift of love just keeps on giving whenever we reach out in faith to share the burdens of others. Who will you help carry today?
Grace and peace,
Deb Spaulding
Pray for: a little extra strength to reach out and extend a helping hand to your neighbor. You can share Jesus with someone who took a tumble, stepped off into a hole, and needs a lift back to solid ground.
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© Copyright 2006, Deb Spaulding
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