July 14, 2007
Newsletter Archives

At various times the story has been recounted of two men in England who walked across a bridge every day on the way to work. Because of the limited weight-bearing capacity of the bridge, a sign at each end warned, “No Burdens To Be Carried Across This Bridge!” On one occasion the men remarked to each other that they carried burdens across the bridge every day – the burdens of life.
They are not alone. We all have burdens and carry them wherever we go. And as we meet people day by day, we too often forget that behind many a smiling face is hidden a broken heart.
Sometimes the burdens become unbearable and people are crushed under the pressure. Health gives way, minds retreat from reality, or the person isolates himself or herself from society and becomes a recluse. And sometimes desperate measures are taken to remove the problems or to exit from this world altogether.

We cannot minimize the grave conditions in which people live. And to suggest we have all the solutions would be to trivialize the difficulties. Nevertheless when we speak about turning to the Lord in our time of need, we are only conveying the message that He, Himself expressed. As the Lord Jesus looked upon the weary crowd one day, He invited them to come to Him, saying, “Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28.
Furthermore, the Psalms are filled with solutions to the burdens of life. These have always been a rich resource for Christians going through deep waters. Take Psalm 69 for example: King David states, “I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.” Psalms 69:2&3.
Yet as David struggles on through the dilemma, he turns his gaze heavenward and his spirits begin to lift. He sees the solution to his problems in God Himself and states, “I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving…for the Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners. (Psalms 69:20,33.
The God that David trusted has never changed and we can trust Him too. God saw our calendar and knew all our appointments with troubles long before the due date. And He is able to answer the door when they come knocking. Again David stated: “My times are in Thy hand.” Psalm 31:15. So are ours!

Jim Beattie submitted by Russ Nesbit