Too Hebby!

Too "Hebby"!

Our seven-year-old granddaughter, Amelia, is a typical, first-born daughter.  She is strong-willed, loves to be in charge, is a nurturer, watches after her younger siblings, and loves to help you do anything and everything.  As soon as she was old enough to walk, she wanted to help you shop by putting anything on the two lower shelves of the store into your basket, by telling you where you could find the cookies and candy in the store, or by helping you carry your bags to the car.

Regardless of the fact that I knew the bags were too heavy for her to carry, she would insist, “I will help.  Please let me carry.”  Reluctantly, trying to help by holding onto a part of the bag with one finger, I would try to let her think she was helping, though I had most of the load.  Always, though, she would quickly see through the ruse, crying, “Grammy, I can do it.  I can do it all by myself.” 

Making sure there was nothing breakable in the bag, I would release it to Amelia.  The bag would be nearly as big as she was tall, but she would always start out strong, beginning to let it slip a little as we went along, and, eventually, as she struggled with the burden, she would look at me with wide eyes, calling out, “Help me, Grammy.  It’s too hebby; it’s too hebby!”  Finally, when she was ready to release the burden, I would accept the full responsibility for what I knew she couldn’t bear.  I, too, knew that it was too "hebby" for her; that’s why I was always there, simply waiting for her to realize and acknowledge that it was more than she could carry and she would release it to me.

Right now, some precious friends of mine are under the pressure of a terrible load – an amazing new baby, born with physical challenges, and – only days later – the death of a special family member.  As my heart aches for them, I know the load is too heavy, and I am so grateful that they know that, too, and recognize that the Lord God stands beside them, ready and willing for them to release the pain that is too much for them to bear.  Psalm 22:8 tells us what to do when that load gets too heavy:  He trusted on the Lord that He would deliver him…

There are seven different Hebrew words in the Old Testament which are translated “trust,” but this is the only time this particular root word is used.  Its literal meaning is to roll the burden from off of your shoulders onto the shoulders of Jehovah God.  In other words, when the burden is so heavy that we are bent almost to the ground in our weakness, the Lord God Himself bends even closer to us in order for us to roll it off of our shoulders and onto His.  He walks beside us waiting for us to acknowledge that it’s just too heavy, as He says Here, roll it onto my shoulders, and I will carry the burden.  The Lord Jesus said it this way, in Matthew 11:28, Come unto me, all of you that …are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Under what burden are you laboring that is just too heavy?  Trust the Lord, roll it onto His shoulders, and allow the Lord Jesus, Prince of Peace, to give you rest as you know that He accepted our burden, beginning with Calvary.

© 2011 Gerry Sisk

(06/22/11)